Lawyer and seasoned commentator Wahome Thuku has weighed in on the controversial death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang, offering a scathing perspective on what he believes truly triggered the chain of events that led to the tragedy—unchecked ego.
In a viral Facebook post, Thuku dissected how a powerful man in uniform allowed a minor social media post to become a matter of life and death.
According to Thuku, the unnamed Deputy Inspector General (DIG), one of only three in a country of over 55 million people, chose to descend into the weeds over a petty issue: a tweet posted by an average citizen.
The Facebook post detailing this misjudgment and its far-reaching consequences is available here, where it has sparked intense public engagement and reflection.
Rather than ignore the criticism or even confront it with maturity, Thuku suggests the DIG could have sought out Ojwang for a civil conversation.
Instead, the issue appears to have been pursued with lethal consequences. Ojwang, whose online activism reportedly ruffled feathers, was arrested and later found dead while in police custody—an incident that has since sparked national outrage and scrutiny of Kenya’s law enforcement agencies.
Thuku’s analysis focuses on the destructive power of ego within powerful institutions. He argues that the DIG, despite his elite position in the National Police Service, allowed himself to be rattled by the words of an ordinary influencer on X (formerly Twitter).
Instead of exercising restraint, his reaction may have set off a chain of command that cost a man his life—and left a family and a country in mourning.
This reflection lands hard in the current national mood, where Kenyans are demanding accountability, transparency, and reform within the police ranks. What should have been ignored, handled diplomatically, or de-escalated became a full-blown human rights crisis.
Wahome Thuku’s final message is clear: in a country where unchecked power often hides behind uniforms and status, justice must rise above pride—and egos must no longer cost lives.
By Nairobi