A Kenyan police officer has been arrested after allegedly shooting an unarmed man at close range during a protest in Nairobi, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The demonstrations were sparked by public outrage over the suspicious death of a blogger while in police custody.
The incident, which occurred in broad daylight, was witnessed by an Associated Press journalist who reported that the officer — his face concealed by a mask — used a shotgun to shoot a man believed to be a street vendor. The victim was reportedly walking away during a confrontation with two officers when he was struck in the head. He was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital and remains in critical condition. At least ten others were also injured during the protests.
Muchiri Nyaga, spokesperson for the National Police Service, issued a statement condemning the incident:
“The National Police Service has noted this incident with great concern. The Inspector-General has directed the immediate arrest and arraignment of the officer involved.”
The police later confirmed that the weapon used was an anti-riot shotgun.
The protests were triggered by the death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old blogger and schoolteacher, who died under mysterious circumstances after being taken into custody on June 7 for allegedly defaming Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat on social media.
Ojwang was arrested in Kakoth village, Homa Bay County, under Kenya’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act, and transferred nearly 400 kilometers to Nairobi’s Central Police Station. Two days later, he was found unconscious in his jail cell and later died at Mbagathi Referral Hospital.
Authorities initially claimed he committed suicide by slamming his head against the wall. However, an independent postmortem indicated injuries consistent with assault. Three individuals — including two senior officers and a technician tasked with dismantling surveillance equipment at the station — have been arrested as part of the investigation.
The incident has ignited widespread public anger. On Tuesday, demonstrators took to the streets of Nairobi, demanding justice for Ojwang and greater accountability from law enforcement. Riot police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowds, while masked motorcyclists reportedly attacked protesters, seizing mobile phones and personal items.
President William Ruto addressed the controversy last week, calling the blogger’s death in police custody “heartbreaking and unacceptable.”
Kenya has a long and troubled history of heavy-handed policing and deadly protests. In 2024, dozens of people were killed during mass demonstrations against a controversial finance bill aimed at increasing government revenue. The latest events have reignited calls for police reform and greater oversight of the security services.