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The recent death of Albert Ojwang in Kenya is a grim reminder of the lengths to which authorities will go to stifle dissent. In a nation already soaked in the blood of its youth, his tragic end, allegedly at the hands of police, isn’t just another statistic; it’s a chilling warning to anyone daring to raise their voice.
The brutal reality is, in this twisted game of power, the message is clear: challenge us, and you might just find yourself silenced—permanently.
Police brutality: the message is loud and clear
Last Friday, Ojwang, a young blogger hailing from Migori, was whisked away by police over a social media post.
Can you believe that? A post! He was dragged 350 kilometers away to the capital, Nairobi, where he was found dead the next day. The cops had the audacity to claim he committed suicide by banging his head against the cell walls.
Right. Because that’s exactly how someone with a passion for life behaves—by turning their cell into a DIY death trap. Spoiler alert: a postmortem revealed he was beaten to death. Surprise, surprise.
This isn’t just a random act of violence; it’s part of a calculated strategy to crush any flicker of youth-led activism before it can ignite into a wildfire.
The government is sweating bullets as we edge closer to protest season, and they know it. A generation that is tired of empty promises and mindless bureaucracy is on the brink of erupting, and the powers that be are hell-bent on keeping them in check.
The irony of ‘public participation’
Just before Ojwang’s tragic fate, another young Kenyan, Rose Njeri, was arrested. Her crime? Crafting a digital tool to facilitate public participation in discussions about the government’s controversial 2025 Finance Bill. Isn’t that rich? The very government that preaches about civic engagement slaps handcuffs on anyone daring to do it effectively.
What’s next? Arresting people for breathing? If this is how they treat those trying to make a difference, one can only imagine what they do to those who take to the streets.
A warning shot to a restless generation
These incidents are not mere blips on the radar; they are part of a deliberate, systematic campaign against dissent. The ruling elite in Kenya are like cornered animals, their paranoia palpable as they recall the massive protests led by Gen Z last year. Those protests were a cocktail of anger, tech-savviness, and a thirst for justice—more potent than any they had faced before. They didn’t just voice their displeasure over the Finance Bill; they tore down the very structures that had kept them marginalized and oppressed.
With each protest, the state responded with violence, leading to deaths and disappearances. But the message was as clear as day: this government will not hesitate to spill blood to maintain its chokehold on power. And now, as discussions around the 2025 Finance Bill heat up, the state’s preemptive arrests of Ojwang and Njeri serve as a grim reminder that they are ready to strike before the first protestor even steps foot on the street.
The regional authoritarian consensus
This isn’t just a Kenyan problem; it’s a regional crisis. The arrests of activists in Tanzania and Uganda underscore a growing authoritarian consensus, where governments are banding together to squash any glimmer of hope for change. They see the youth as a threat—each regime is grappling with its own economic woes and knows that a united front of young people could spell disaster for their hold on power. So, what do they do? They resort to brutality, because why not? It’s cheaper than actually addressing the issues at hand.
For too long, the West kept African dictators in check with the threat of sanctions and public condemnation. But guess what? The moral high ground has crumbled, and now these regimes feel emboldened. The hypocrisy of the Western world, with its own issues of dissent and inequality, has given them the green light to act with impunity. They know that today, the stakes are lower than ever for acts of repression.
A dark opportunity for repressive regimes
From the perspective of these authoritarian regimes, we’re at a crossroads of threat and opportunity. The threat? A potential uprising that could shake the very foundations of their power. The opportunity? To act while the world is distracted and the opposition is disorganized. The recent crackdown on activists isn’t just a random act of violence; it’s a strategic move to keep the youth in check. Why wait for protests to gain momentum when you can snuff them out before they even begin?
Possibility amidst oppression
But let’s not forget, this moment also presents opportunities for those who refuse to be silenced. The Gen Z protests in 2024 sparked a political awakening, proving that traditional routes of activism can be bypassed. Young people are no longer waiting for permission; they’re mobilizing around pressing issues of economic justice and dignity. They’re pushing against the narrative that civic engagement is foreign or inauthentic. Instead, they’re grounding their struggles in the harsh realities of life—high taxes, unemployment, and rampant corruption.
The current crackdown on activists like Ojwang and Njeri is a sign that these movements are striking a nerve. But fear doesn’t equal victory. The past few years have shown us that organized dissent can be powerful and effective. What lies ahead must not only be local but also regional. The fight against authoritarianism can’t be fought in isolation. Kenyan activists must link arms with their colleagues in Tanzania and Uganda, sharing strategies, resources, and creating a united front.
Preparing for the fight ahead
Ojwang’s death, Njeri’s arrest, and the violations faced by activists in neighboring countries are not mere incidents; they are signals of a deeper struggle. The ruling classes of East Africa are gearing up for a fight, but the real question is whether those oppressed are ready to fight back. Are you prepared to stand up and be counted? Or will you sit quietly while the powerful crush the voices of an entire generation?
