He Was Killed in Police Custody. Kenyans Are Not About to Let It Go.
But there were signs of what was to come. The meat from at least 10 slaughtered bulls — enough to feed an army — sizzled over open fires. Enormous tents had been erected over a nearby field, with rows of seating beneath.
Then, as the sun climbed and the men crawled out of the grave they had dug, the crowds arrived en masse. Thousands poured into the rural Kenyan village. Some had pinned a man's portrait to their blouses. Others wore matching shirts emblazoned with a slogan: 'Rest in Power, Albert.'
The immense turnout for the funeral of Albert Ojwang, a Kenyan blogger who died in police custody last month, was the latest indication of roiling discontent in Kenya over what many there view as a corrupt and unaccountable system of law enforcement. Mr. Ojwang's death thrust the country's brutal policing tactics into the spotlight and fueled a wave of anti-government protests that exploded across the nation, leading to the deaths of more than 16 people.
At the funeral in Kakoth Village, held a short walk from Mr. Ojwang's family home, religious leaders, politicians and activists spoke for hours from a raised stage under a winter sun. The crowd joined in singing hymns, and energetic speakers roused young men and women in chants.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man killed after firing at US Border Patrol station in Texas
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A 27-year-old Michigan man was shot dead by U.S. Border Patrol agents after opening fire with an assault rifle on a U.S. Border Patrol station in the southern Texas city of McAllen on Monday, local police said. Ryan Louis Mosqueda fired dozens of rounds at the entrance of the facility shortly before 6 a.m. and agents returned fire, McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez told reporters. A McAllen police officer was shot in the knee during the exchange of fire and was taken to hospital, Rodriguez said. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said a Border Patrol employee was also injured. Law enforcement found additional assault firearms and more ammunition in Mosqueda's Chevrolet passenger car, which was parked outside the facility, Rodriguez added. "There were many, many, dozens of rounds fired by the suspect towards the building and agents in the building," he said. Writing, thought to be Latin, was spray-painted on the side of the vehicle, but Rodriguez said it did not give any indication of the motive for the attack. Images from the scene showed "Cordis DIE," a Latin phrase meaning "Heart Day," written on the driver's door of the white, two-door car. "Cordis Die" is also a fictional populist revolutionary movement in the "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" video game, according to fan websites. Mosqueda is believed to have ties to the area and was reported missing at 4 a.m. from a residence in Weslaco, about 18 miles (29 kilometers) east of McAllen, Rodriguez said. Mosqueda's father was stopped for a traffic infraction at 3:48 a.m. in Weslaco and told police he was searching for his son, according to a report by local Telemundo station T40, citing Weslaco police. Mosqueda's father, Jose Mosqueda, told an officer his son had a "mental deficiency," had not taken any medication and was carrying firearms in his vehicle, according to the T40 report. Police identified the license plate of Ryan Mosqueda's vehicle and alerted authorities, the report said. Weslaco police did not respond to a request for comment and it was not immediately possible to contact Jose Mosqueda. The facility where the shooting took place houses Border Patrol's special operations teams, according to a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection official. Flights at the nearby McAllen International Airport were delayed for several hours on Monday as law enforcement secured the area. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has made combating illegal immigration a top priority, sending troops to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and launching aggressive raids in U.S. cities. The actions, supported by Trump's hardline Republican base, have also led to pushback from Americans concerned about arrests of non-criminals and enforcement tactics that include officers wearing masks to hide their identities.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Former deputy chief of Russian army's general staff jailed for 17 years in fraud case
MOSCOW (Reuters) -The former deputy chief of the Russian army's General Staff was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Monday over a scheme involving the theft of over 1 billion roubles ($12.7 million) from Defence Ministry contracts, the TASS news agency reported. A closed-door military court found Khalil Arslanov, a colonel general, and others guilty of stealing some 1.6 billion roubles from state contracts with Voentelecom, a company that provides telecommunications services and equipment to the Russian military. Arslanov was also found guilty of extorting a 12 million rouble bribe from the head of a military communications company. Two other men, Colonel Pavel Kutakhov, and Igor Yakovlev, whom TASS described as a military pensioner, were found guilty alongside Arslanov and received seven and six years in prison, respectively. A former head of the Russian military's communications unit, Arslanov served as deputy chief of the army's General Staff from 2013 until he was removed from office in 2020. He was named a colonel general in 2017. Russia has stepped up prosecutions of top defence officials as a series of corruption scandals have engulfed the highest echelons of the Russian military establishment in the past year. This month, former deputy defence minister Timur Ivanov was sentenced to 13 years on corruption charges, the harshest sentence yet in the string of graft cases. ($1 = 78.6955 roubles)
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
11 dead and hundreds arrested in Kenya's anti-government protests, police says
At least 11 people have died and more than 500 were arrested in anti-government protests across Kenya on Monday, according to the country's National Police Service. Kenyan police used tear gas and water cannon on protesters marking the 35th anniversary of a pro-democracy rally that has stirred anti-government resentment among Kenyan youths, who were already enraged over allegations of corruption, police brutality and abductions of government critics. Some 11 civilians were injured, police said in a Monday night statement, though the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR) reported that 29 people were injured. A total of 567 people were arrested, the police added. The East African country has been hit by a wave of bloody protests that began last year over an unpopular finance bill that raised taxes amid a cost-of-living crisis. Kenya's government withdrew the tax bill in June last year in the wake of the demonstrations, but outrage has intensified over the recent death of a teacher in police custody and the shooting of an unarmed street vendor by police. At least 16 people were killed and hundreds injured during anti-government protests last month. Dozens more died during the anti-tax demonstrations in 2024. On Monday, several parts of Kenya saw gatherings as people marked the anniversary of the July 7, 1990, pro-democracy march known as Saba Saba. In the capital Nairobi, Kenyan security forces repelled protesters with tear gas and water cannon hours after blocking major roads leading into the city. Roads leading to the Kenyan Parliament building, as well as the president's office and residence, were also barricaded ahead of the demonstrations. There were reports on Monday afternoon of police opening fire on protesters. CNN has not confirmed the reports, but has reached out to Kenya's National Police Service for comment. In its Monday night statement outlining fatalities, injuries and arrests, Kenya's police service said that 'each reported incident will be subject to further investigation, in accordance with the law.' CNN affiliate Citizen TV reported that at least five people were shot dead in protests across the country, including two people who were shot dead in the Kangemi neighborhood of Nairobi. Another man was shot in the area and was 'seen lying on the road' unconscious, it added. Video circulating on social media and geolocated by CNN shows a civilian in Kenya's Kiambu County stepping out of a car surrounded by armed officers, and then being whipped repeatedly by one of them. The civilian covers their head to protect themself, but does not appear to be threatening the officer in any way. In other parts of the country, some protesters have remained defiant despite the chaotic scenes. 'We are not ready to go back (home) because who will fight for our rights then? We will be here till evening,' protester Francis Waswa told Reuters. The clampdown comes after individuals described by the Kenyan Human Rights Commission as 'hired goons' who were 'sent by the state to silence dissent' stormed the NGO's office. In a statement on Sunday night, the human rights body said those who entered the building 'violently disrupted a press conference by Kenyan mothers calling for an end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings targeting protesters ahead of Saba Saba demonstrations.' Kenyan government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura told CNN to 'contact the police spokesman' for comment when asked about the allegation. Police spokesman Nyaga said: 'The National Police Service is looking into the incident and shall take appropriate steps after reviewing the unacceptable clip,' referring to CCTV footage shared by the NGO. Earlier on Sunday, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said security agencies were 'on high alert to deal decisively with criminals and other elements of ill intent who may seek to infiltrate peaceful processions to cause havoc, mayhem, or destruction of property.' Murkomen previously described last month's demonstrations as 'terrorism disguised as dissent,' in a statement that further reignited outrage. This story and headline have been updated with additional developments. CNN's Victoria Rubadiri, Annoa Abekah-Mensah and Billy Stockwell contributed to this report.
