Petition to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Demand For Accountability On Albert Ojwang’s Murder

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Petition to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

To: Senator Jim Risch, Chairman
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
United States Senate

Date: June 13, 2025

Subject: Demand for Accountability on the Murder of Blogger Albert Ojwang and William Ruto’s Free Speech Crackdown

I, Francis Gaitho, a Kenyan citizen and advocate for free expression, write to you with profound concern and urgency regarding the sinister and deafening silence of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, under your leadership, concerning the brutal murder of blogger Albert Ojwang.

This silence stands in stark contrast to your vocal condemnation when Kenyan activists were deported from Tanzania, exposing a troubling hypocrisy that demands immediate address.

The Murder of Albert Ojwang

Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old blogger, was savagely killed by Kenyan police on June 8, 2025, while in custody at Nairobi Central Police Station. His crime? Posting on X, an American company, content that defamed Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat. Arrested on June 6 in Homa Bay and transported over 350 kilometers to Nairobi, Ojwang’s death – marked by head injuries, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue injuries – has been acknowledged by President William Ruto as occurring “at the hands of the police,” contradicting initial claims of suicide.

This extrajudicial killing, amid a pattern of police brutality, has ignited nationwide protests under the #JusticeForAlbertOjwang movement, yet your committee has remained conspicuously mute.

Hypocrisy of the Committee

Your vocal outrage over the deportation of Kenyan and Ugandan activists from Tanzania, where they sought to observe a court trial, highlighted a commitment to human rights and free movement. Yet, the same zeal is absent as a blogger is murdered for exercising his right to free speech on an American platform.

This selective silence suggests a troubling double standard. While the U.S. positions itself as the moral police in regions like the Middle East, critiquing governance and human rights, it appears to turn a blind eye to the transgressions of President William Ruto.

This hypocrisy is further compounded by reports of Kenya’s alleged support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, which you, Senator Risch, have previously labeled as genocidal – a stance that contrasts sharply with your inaction on Ruto’s domestic crackdowns.

The Crackdown on Free Speech

Ojwang’s murder is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic suppression of dissent in Kenya. The Kenyan government, under Ruto, leverages police violence and digital repression to silence critics, a trend that threatens the democratic fabric of a nation allied with the U.S.

Your silence risks endorsing this crackdown, especially when it involves an American company like X, raising questions about the U.S.’s commitment to its own values of free expression.

Demand for a Clear Stand

I call upon the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, under your chairmanship, to break this ominous silence and make your position clear: Do you support William Ruto’s crackdown on free speech, including the murder of individuals for posting on American platforms?

The U.S. cannot credibly champion human rights globally while ignoring the blood on Ruto’s hands. I urge you to:

1. Publicly condemn the murder of Albert Ojwang and demand a transparent, independent investigation.
2. Pressure the Kenyan government to end its crackdown on free speech and hold accountable those responsible for Ojwang’s death.
3. Reassess U.S.-Kenya relations, considering Ruto’s actions and their alignment with American values, especially in light of your prior criticisms of his foreign policy.
4. Issue a formal statement clarifying the Committee’s stance on Ruto’s regime and its implications for U.S. policy in Africa.

Call to Action

This petition is a plea for justice and consistency. The #OccupyStatehouse2025 and #RutoMustGo movements reflect a populace fighting for its rights, a struggle that deserves your support rather than your indifference.

I implore you to act decisively, ensuring the U.S. does not become complicit in Ruto’s tyranny.

This matter will be circulated widely, and I await your response.

Signatory:
Francis Gaitho

Hashtags:

#JusticeForAlbertOjwang

#RutoMustGo

#FreeSpeechNow

#USAccountability