Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat’s recent armored visit to West Pokot has reignited anger among Kenyans who still remember his connection to the controversial death of Albert Ojwang, a respected teacher and blogger.
While the government may try to paint Lagat’s trip as a bold security move, many see it as a distraction from deeper questions he has never answered.
Albert Ojwang died under police custody, and Lagat’s name has never been cleared from accusations that he personally ordered Ojwang’s arrest an arrest that ended in tragedy.
Ojwang, who was known for speaking out against police brutality and corruption, had been vocal on issues affecting the country mostly corruption as he even exposed Eliud Lagat for the alleged shady properties he owns in Dubai.
Not long after, he was picked up by police under unclear circumstances. Hours later, he was dead. To date, no officer has been held accountable or convicted, and Lagat, despite being mentioned in connection to the arrest, has avoided public scrutiny.
His armored entry into a region struggling with insecurity only adds insult to injury for many who feel the police system has become a tool of intimidation, not protection.
The image of Lagat stepping out of an armored vehicle at Marich Pass might impress government officials, but for ordinary Kenyans, it is a painful reminder of how deeply the rot runs.
If he truly wants to win back public trust, he must first answer for the past especially the death of a man who simply demanded better governance and exposed corruption.
Even now, as banditry continues to choke the life out of Turkana and West Pokot, the government’s answer is not better services or peacebuilding it is to send the same officers accused of violating human rights, armored to the teeth, for short visits and photo sessions.
Lagat’s presence in the region offers no comfort. Instead, it reopens old wounds. If the Deputy IG wants to talk security, he must first talk accountability. Until then, his presence does more harm than good. West Pokot does not need armored convoys led by unaccountable officers. It needs truth, justice, and lasting peace none of which Eliud Lagat has delivered.
