BY CLOTILDA AKINYI

I was pained as a Kenyan when I saw President William Ruto speaking to Kenyans and for the umpeeth time promised to end extra-judicial killing following Mwalimu Albert Ojwang’s death.

I asked myself, what happened to the president’s earlier promise? Why are we continuing to see disturbing trends of extra-judicial killings in Kenya to a point where we are normalising it under his administration?

The latest case; the death of Albert Ojwang’ in police custody adds another painful chapter to a growing list of young lives lost or simply vanished at the hands of law enforcement officers.

Following the Gen Z-led protests in June 2024, which claimed multiple lives, President William Ruto vowed to end the culture of extra-judicial killings. But the reality on the ground tells a different story.

As citizens continue to speak out, some are silenced permanently.

This simply poses questions of whether rogue officers are solely the ones to be blamed or  there are more complex, concealed force driving this cycle of violence.

The outrage is justified. When citizens are punished for expressing their opinions, democracy suffers and a nation cannot claim to uphold justice while ignoring the rights of its own people.

It’s time Kenya rethinks its approach. While countries like Vietnam are criticized for strict enforcement, their commitment to order and discipline has ensured a level of public safety we often lack.

Meanwhile, our own system seems flawed or perhaps that is the reason behind the recurring extra judicial killings.

Albert’s death should not fade into silence. It must spark urgent reforms that protect life and restore trust. Police officers must be trained to preserve life, not end it. And above all, the state must listen before the people are forced to act out.

When justice is delayed or denied, peace becomes fragile. Kenya must choose a different path, one where every life counts, and accountability is not a privilege, but a guarantee.