Tears flow as widow recalls final words of Albert Ojwang at requiem mass

Tears flowed freely and voices broke with emotion as Nevnina Omondi, the widow of the late Albert Ojwang, delivered a moving tribute during his requiem mass at Ridgeways Baptist Church.

Addressing mourners gathered at the church along Kiambu Road, Nevnina shared her pain, memories, and enduring love for the man she described as her “everything”, while urging the police to treat all Kenyans with dignity and compassion.

“Albert left at a time when I didn’t expect he would, but it was God’s timing, and as humans, we can’t do anything about it,” she said.

Fighting back tears, she spoke about the weight of the loss on her and their young son. “It’s heavy on me. It’s heavy on my son. He doesn’t know anything that is going on, but it’s heavy,” she added.

Nevnina recounted her last conversation with Ojwang while he was in detention at Central Police Station, recalling his final words to her.

“When we last spoke, he was at Central Police Station. I think I’m the last person he spoke to. His last words were, ‘I love you, see you soon’.”

She told mourners how those words continue to echo in her mind, especially now that the only time she could “see him soon” was when he lay cold at the mortuary and during the requiem mass.

“Seeing him soon here, at the requiem mass, or even in the mortuary, it really broke me,” she said, pausing to collect herself amid sobs.

Determined to honour Ojwang’s memory, Nevnina said she was drawing strength from his advice to always be courageous.

“He always told me to be courageous, so I just want to stand strong for the sake of our son, his mum and dad, and even others who are not here, because many looked up to him. I want those people to look up to me. I don’t want to be weak. I want to be strong,” she said.

Nevnina then expressed her love and final promises to her late husband. “Albert, I love you so much. I don’t know if he’s hearing, but I want him to know that he means so much to me, even if he’s lying here. I truly love him and I always will.”

She also vowed to support his family. “I’ll always be here for mum, dad, G, grandma, your uncles—everyone. I’ll love them the way you did. Thank you for the little time we shared.”

Appealing for prayers and strength, she asked Kenyans to support her through the difficult journey ahead. “Pray for me, that I may have the courage to stand by Albert’s family. They are looking up to me the way they looked up to Albert.”

“I wouldn’t wish to see any parent, any wife, any son or daughter, go through what we are going through. So I urge the police and those mandated to protect us to treat everyone with dignity, even strangers. Let them deal with everyone in the very best way. May God protect us all,” she added.

Ojwang, a teacher and blogger, died on June 8, while in police custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station. He had been arrested following a complaint by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eliud Lagat, over allegedly defamatory content posted on social media.

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An autopsy conducted on June 10 revealed that Ojwang died from head injuries, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue injuries. The findings, led by government pathologist Dr Bernard Midia, confirmed the injuries were externally inflicted and ruled out suicide.

At the same service, the family’s lawyer, Julius Juma, addressed speculation surrounding funds allegedly received by the family following Ojwang’s death. He clarified that claims of a Sh10 million donation were false.

“It has been said or shared on various media platforms that Mzee received Sh10 million. I have been asked to set the record straight, and I’m doing so from the pulpit,” Juma said.

According to the lawyer, the total amount raised was just over Sh5 million: Sh2 million from President William Ruto, Sh1 million from ODM leader Raila Odinga, and Sh2 million from the public through small contributions.