On Friday, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) will hold nationwide candlelight vigils in honour of Albert Ojwang , a secondary school teacher who was murdered after being arrested by the police last Saturday.
The union has said that the vigils will begin at 4pm and will be monitored from the Kuppet national headquarters and across all county offices.
In Homa Bay County, the ceremony will be held at the home of Mr Ojwang’s family in Kokwanyo, Rachuonyo East Sub-County.
Mr Ojwang was picked up by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on June 7, 2025 at his parents' home in Homa Bay County and driven to Nairobi, where he died at the Central Police Station. The news of his death has sparked public outrage and calls for justice from the public and human rights groups
Union members will join relatives and friends in remembering the fallen educator. Mr Ojwang taught history and Christian Religious Education at a secondary school in Voi, Taita Taveta County.
Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori has condemned the killing as an extrajudicial execution that reflects systemic corruption within the police force.
“Mr Ojwang did not deserve to lose his life. If he had committed a crime, as the police allege, he should have been prosecuted as per the law. The manner of his arrest through coordination by officers from Taita Taveta, Homa Bay, and Nairobi counties suggests that the killing was sanctioned at the highest levels of the police service,” Mr Misori said in a statement.
Friday's candlelight vigil will feature prayers, scripture readings and reflections on Mr Ojwang’s life and contributions to education. The union also intends to use the event to raise awareness of the challenges faced by teachers working in remote areas and to shine a light on the increasing number of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances, particularly among young people.
“Through these ceremonies, we honour Mr Ojwang’s memory and demand justice, not only for him but also for all innocent lives lost through unlawful police actions,” he added.
The union is calling for an independent investigation into the teacher’s death, as pressure mounts on the government to rein in rogue officers and uphold the rule of law.
Mr Ojwang’s death adds to the growing list of suspected extrajudicial killings in the country, a trend that has been repeatedly condemned by civil society organisations.
