Petition to the African Union, Embassy of the United States, Embassy of the European Union, and British High Commission: Request for Travel Bans on Kenyan Officials Complicit in Human Rights Abuses
To:
• The African Union
• The Embassy of the United States
• The Embassy of the European Union
• The British High Commission
Subject: Urgent Request for Travel Bans on Kenyan Officials Involved in Albert Ojwang’s Murder Cover-Up and Ongoing Human Rights Violations
Date: June 17, 2025
I, Francis Gaitho, representing the voice of Kenyans and global advocates for justice, respectfully petition your esteemed institutions to impose travel bans on the following Kenyan officials for their roles in the cover-up of Albert Ojwang’s murder and their complicity in President William Ruto’s campaign of abductions, forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, trumped-up charges, and brutal suppression of dissent through police crackdowns on public protests:
1. Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja
2. Police Spokesman Michael Muchiri
3. Head of Directorate of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin
4. Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat
5. Deputy Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli
6. Director of National Intelligence Noordin Haji
7. Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga
8. Head of Special Crimes DCI Michael Sang
9. Chief Justice Martha Koome
Background and Grounds for Action:
On June 6, 2025, Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher and blogger, was arrested in Homa Bay County for a social media post criticizing Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat, a charge widely regarded as a pretext to silence his activism against systemic corruption.
He was transferred over 350 km to Nairobi’s Central Police Station, where he died on June 7, 2025. An autopsy revealed head trauma, neck compression, and widespread soft tissue damage, clear evidence of assault, contradicting the police’s initial claim of suicide.
This brutal killing, coupled with the authorities’ attempts to obscure the truth, has fueled nationwide protests on June 9 and 12, 2025, met with tear gas, water cannons, and violent police crackdowns under the direction of the listed officials.
Transgressions of the Listed Officials:
• Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja: Oversaw police operations that facilitated Albert Ojwang’s unlawful arrest, transfer, and death in custody; directed brutal crackdowns on protests, using excessive force to suppress dissent.
• Police Spokesman Michael Muchiri: Disseminated false narratives, including the baseless claim of Ojwang’s suicide, to cover up police brutality and mislead the public.
• Head of Directorate of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin: Failed to conduct a transparent investigation into Ojwang’s murder, enabling the cover-up and protecting perpetrators within the police force.
• Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat: Directly implicated in Ojwang’s arrest due to the critical social media post targeting him; oversaw violent protest suppression, contributing to injuries and deaths.
• Deputy Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli: Coordinated police operations that employed extrajudicial tactics, including abductions and forced disappearances of activists, to silence opposition.
• Director of National Intelligence Noordin Haji: Enabled state-sponsored abductions and disappearances through intelligence operations, targeting activists and critics of the Ruto regime.
• Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga: Pursued trumped-up charges against activists, including Ojwang, to justify their arrests and suppress dissent, undermining justice.
• Head of Special Crimes DCI Michael Sang: Dispatched the team to Homa Bay to arrest Albert Ojwang, directly orchestrating his unlawful detention; uses his office to engineer abductions and suppress dissent, allowing impunity to persist within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
• Chief Justice Martha Koome: Failed to uphold judicial independence, enabling a judicial environment that tolerates extrajudicial killings and state abuses without accountability.
Request:
I respectfully urge the African Union, the Embassy of the United States, the Embassy of the European Union, and the British High Commission to impose travel bans on the listed individuals to hold them accountable for their roles in Albert Ojwang’s murder cover-up and the broader pattern of human rights violations.
These bans will demonstrate a commitment to justice, deter further abuses, and support the Kenyan people’s aspiration for a free and accountable nation.
Conclusion:
The international community has a critical role in supporting Kenya’s struggle against oppression. By imposing travel bans on these officials, you will stand in solidarity with the Kenyan people in their call for justice for Albert Ojwang and countless others victimized by state-sponsored violence.
I earnestly request your swift action to address this escalating crisis and restore hope for a just Kenya.
Sole Signatory:
Francis Gaitho
