During a public event attended by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a brave Kenyan youth stood up and challenged Governor Gladys Wanga in front of a global audience.
The youth accused her of failing to take meaningful action following the brutal death of Albert Ojwang, a blogger and teacher who died in police custody.
His exact words, “The only thing our governor did was to issue a statement,” echoed across the internet, shaking up political discussions both locally and internationally.
What made it worse was that Albert was from Homa Bay, Wanga’s own backyard, making her silence even more disappointing to many.
While her statement offered condolences, it had no substance or direction. No demands for arrests, no direct support to the grieving family, and certainly no action plan for justice or reform.
Kenyans expected leadership and instead got lip service. Albert Ojwang’s death was not just another incident it exposed the rot in Kenya’s police system.
Arrested for criticizing Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud Lagat online, he ended up dead in a cell. Police claimed he hit his head on a wall, but an autopsy showed blunt force trauma and neck compression, pointing clearly to assault.
It’s disturbing that a man was tortured to death over a Facebook post while leaders like Wanga chose to remain silent or hide behind carefully crafted PR messages.
This isn’t just a failure of police accountability it’s a failure of leadership. While President Ruto spoke out and officers were arrested, many feel it is not enough. Kenyans are demanding more than arrests.
They want the entire system changed and leaders to stop protecting criminals in uniform.Governor Wanga’s inaction has turned her into a symbol of how detached county leaders have become from the people they represent.
She had the chance to fight for Albert, to lead county-wide reforms or support the family in real ways, but she chose comfort over courage. Her office has become known for flashy events and public appearances, but when a Homa Bay resident was beaten to death by police, all she could offer was a statement. That isn’t leadership that’s cowardice.
The youth who confronted her may have risked his safety, but he said what many Kenyans are thinking. Enough with the empty words. If Wanga can’t defend her own people in times of crisis, then what exactly is she in office for?
The people of Homa Bay deserve better, and Albert Ojwang’s death should never be forgotten or reduced to a paragraph in a speech.
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