In April, Albert Ojwang formally introduced his wife Nevinina Onyango to his family in Kakoth village, Homa Bay County.
The couple was warmly welcomed by both the family and the wider community. They settled in Ojwang’s simba, a traditional Luo bachelor’s house he had built within his parents’ compound.
Upon marriage, the simba traditionally becomes the couple’s first home, a practice Ojwang honoured by renovating the structure to welcome his bride.
He had constructed the house more than a year earlier while working as a teacher contracted by the Board of Management at a school in Voi in Taita-Taveta County. When he returned home in April, he began refurbishing the building by plastering walls, repainting and upgrading fittings.
At the time of his arrest last Saturday, Ojwang had just returned from buying tree seedlings to beautify the compound.
The father of one was seated outside sharing a quiet moment with his wife who had just served him a meal of vegetables harvested from their farm when six police officers arrived on three motorcycles. Without explanation, they asked him to accompany them.
Albert Ojwang' family says police assured safety before his death
Ojwang was admired in his village not only for his dedication to farming, but also for being a role model to local youth. His passion for agriculture and community development had made him a beacon of hope.
According to Ms Onyango, her husband had created a seedbed next to their house for vegetable seedlings. She said he dreamed of feeding families, creating economic opportunities and inspiring others through farming.
Ms Onyango, a nursing student at Thika School of Medical Sciences who is due to graduate later this year, described her late husband as visionary.
“He came back home with a plan. The seedbed was just the beginning,” she said.
Albert Ojwang's mother Eucabeth Adhiambo Ojwang (left) with his widow Nevinina Onyango Omondi at their home in Kokoth Village, Homa Bay County on June 9, 2025.
Photo credit: George Odiwour | Nation Media Group
Village elder Benson Ojweke, who had known Ojwang for years, praised both him and his now widow.
“She’s still new here but has already started taking part in communal activities,” Mr Ojweke said. “Many young people have abandoned farming for quick but unfruitful ventures. Ojwang was different. His commitment to agriculture proved his industrious spirit. Though his project was still young, it held the promise of transforming lives.”
Raised in humble circumstances, Ojwang’s academic journey took him to Pwani University in Kilifi County where he graduated in 2022, an achievement that inspired many schoolchildren in his village.
“His success gave our children hope. He had the potential to uplift this entire community,” Mr Ojweke said.
An only child, Ojwang supported his parents and wife with the little income he earned. His uncle Joseph Okumu recalled how he had already gathered bricks to construct a permanent home for his parents.
“He wanted to build for them before thinking of his own house,” Mr Okumu said.
Ms Eucabeth Adhiambo Ojwang (centre), Albert Ojwang’s mother, is consoled by relatives at her home in Kokoth village, Homa Bay County on June 9, 2025.
Photo credit: George Odiwour | Nation Media Group
Ojwang’s mother, Eucabeth Adhiambo Ojwang, tearfully said: “He would call nearly every day, asking if we were okay especially if his father had eaten,” she said.
She said the family agreed to let him go with the police officers to Nairobi believing he would return after any legal proceedings. But that hope was crushed.
“Even if he had been jailed for life, I could have visited him. No one deserves to die like that,” she said. “I braved countless cold nights so he could go to school. That he should die like this is unspeakably cruel.”
Mr Ojwang spent much of his childhood in Malindi where his mother struggled to ensure he received an education.
On Tuesday, neighbours condoled with the family for the loss of a young man who through hard work had started shaping a better future for his family and community.
