Senate Debate on Death of Albert Ojwang and Revenue Allocation Formula

Monday 10 June, 2025 | Afternoon Session

The Senate convened for an emotionally charged session that focused on two major issues: the tragic death of Albert Omondi Ojwang while in police custody, and the ongoing debate on the Fourth Basis for allocating national revenue among counties. A wide cross-section of senators expressed outrage over Ojwang’s death, with many calling for immediate accountability, including resignations and prosecutions within the police hierarchy. Later in the sitting, the House resumed debate on the revenue sharing formula, considering amendments to enhance equity in allocation.

Bills Discussed

• Division of Revenue Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 10 of 2025 – Referred to mediation after National Assembly rejected Senate amendments
• Public Transport Motorcycle Regulation Bill, Senate Bill No. 38 of 2023 – National Assembly rejected Senate's request to withdraw; will proceed with consideration

Topics Discussed

• Death of Albert Ojwang in police custody and alleged police brutality
• Accountability of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat
• Role of IPOA and the police in custodial deaths investigations
• Calls for resignation and/or prosecution of top police officials
• Emotional and political implications of extrajudicial killings
• Senate’s oversight role and calls for a Commission of Inquiry
• Equity in the Fourth Basis formula for revenue allocation
• Underfunding of small counties and wage bill burdens
• National Assembly’s role in obstructing devolution financing
• Longstanding regional disparities in healthcare and infrastructure

Key Takeaways and Decisions

• The Senate will convert into a Committee of the Whole during the following day’s session (Tuesday) to interrogate the Interior CS, IG, IPOA Chair, and Police Service Commission Chair on Ojwang’s death
• The Speaker ruled that this matter must take precedence before scheduled question time
• Strong consensus emerged around the need to summon and question top officials under oath
• Senate supported an amendment to the revenue allocation motion to increase allocations to small counties by KES 4.6 billion
• The House emphasized its constitutional mandate to protect counties and pressed for equitable distribution

Major Participants

• Sen. Eddie Okech: Initiated the statement on Albert Ojwang’s death and demanded urgent answers
• Sen. Boni Khalwale: Called for DIG Lagat’s immediate arrest and compared Ojwang’s case to past political cover-ups
• Sen. Moses Kajwang: Demanded high-level resignations and urged Senate to hold security leaders to account
• Sen. Beatrice Ogola: Criticized alleged abuse of power and stressed need for urgent justice
• Sen. Ali Roba: Condemned the incident as a stain on the government’s image and called for swift action
• Sen. Oburu Oginga: Voiced regional grief and demanded accountability for police overreach
• Sen. Hamida Kibwana: Questioned whether Albert’s soul could rest without justice; demanded structural change
• Sen. Fatuma Dullo: Noted the Senate had already summoned the Interior CS and IG for the next day
• Sen. Aaron Cheruiyot (Majority Leader): Criticized Senate’s passive role and called for follow-through beyond statements
• Sen. Okong’o Omogeni: Moved the amendment to increase small county allocations; led equity push
• Sen. Tabitha Keroche: Gave a personal account of loss and demanded justice reforms
• Sen. Mandago, Sen. Omtatah, Sen. Onyango, Sen. Sifuna, and many others: Raised legal, emotional, and procedural points of concern

Key Moments

• Numerous senators, across party lines, condemned the use of police custody as a place of death rather than protection
• The Speaker instructed the Interior CS to appear the next day with IG, IPOA Chair, and Police Commission Chair
• Senators drew parallels with past political killings and predicted dire national consequences if unchecked
• The House observed a rare unified tone, calling for a systemic fix rather than blame of junior officers
• Several senators insisted that DIG Lagat, the original complainant, must record a statement and step aside during investigations

Notable Quotes

• “Freedom of expression must never be a death sentence.” – Sen. Hamida Kibwana
• “Parliament is the one that vetted the Inspector General. Let us act like it.” – Sen. Moses Kajwang
• “Only Parliament can objectively intervene and investigate this issue to logical conclusion.” – Sen. Ali Roba

This summary was generated from official YouTube livestreams of the Kenyan Parliament using bunge-bits, an automated transcription and summarization tool.