Shortly after the local youths transported the body of the social activist Albert Ojwang, the Mawego Police Station was set on fire, Homa Bay MP Kaluma defended the youth from the blame.

Posting on his X account Thursday evening, the MP blamed alleged goons brought in from Nairobi for the incident.

“The goons who have burnt Mawego Police Station were ferried from Nairobi,” Kaluma alleged.

Kaluma cleared students of Mawego National Polytechnic and the surrounding community, asserting they bore no responsibility for the incident.

He argued that local youths, having lived near the station for years and fostered a respectful relationship with officers, had no motive to destroy it.

“Our Students from Mawego and our students from across our land didn’t burn the Station. They have lived with the Station all these years, and even after our son Albert Ojwang was killed,” Kaluma noted.

Yesterday afternoon, local youths took hold of Ojwang’s body, in hundreds of numbers, they moved to Mawego Police Station where he was first detained. The youths demanded justice for Ojwang’s death.

Clips circulating online showed mourners escorting Ojwang’s coffin through the streets, waving placards and confronting the station where he was first taken in to custody.

The police officers fled to their rescue before the mob reached, leaving the station unsecured.

At first it was a peaceful procession towards station then it turned messy when the youths set the police station on fire.

The fire caused damage on major offices such as the Officer Commanding Station’s office, and critical documents such as the occurrence book and witness statements.

Additional police forces reached but they were unable to rescue most of the burned remains.

Albert Ojwang after being held at his father’s home last month he was taken to Mawego Police Station before being moved to Nairobi, where he died at the Central Police Station while in police detention.