Mugithi star Samidoh has sparked online debate after sharing a post holding a portrait of the late George Perry Floyd Jr., an African American man whose tragic death under police custody in the U.S. became a global symbol against police brutality.
While the singer did not explicitly reference any ongoing Kenyan case, the timing and symbolism of the post have raised eyebrows, especially coming just days after the controversial death of Albert Ojwang.
Ojwang, a teacher and blogger, died after being arrested and transferred from Homa Bay to Nairobi’s Central Police Station.
The deceased had reportedly made a critical post on X (formerly Twitter) aimed at Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, prompting his arrest over claims of “tarnishing” the senior officer’s name.
He died while in custody, triggering public outrage and a storm of accusations of police overreach and human rights violations.
Samidoh, born Samuel Ndirangu Muchoki, captioned the photo of himself holding Floyd’s painting with a quote by former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.”
The statement, echoed a deeper message about justice, accountability, and equal freedoms. While not naming any individual or institution, the post was widely interpreted as a subtle rebuke of the Kenyan police system, particularly in the wake of Ojwang’s death.
George Floyd’s name became etched into the global consciousness after his brutal death at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020.
A viral video showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck and back for over nine minutes, despite Floyd repeatedly crying out, “I can’t breathe.” His death sparked international protests and fueled the momentum behind the Black Lives Matter movement.
Samidoh’s symbolic gesture stirred mixed reactions among his followers, especially given his own background in law enforcement.
A serving officer in the Anti-Stock Theft Unit, Samidoh was recently declared a deserter by the National Police Service (NPS) after allegedly absconding duty without permission.
His was seen by some as an indirect jab at his own institution.
Netizens flooded the comments with both support and skepticism.
One user wrote, “We already understand what you mean broh. Hii ni ya wajanja, not direct, but you’re communicating.”
Another chimed in with a reminder of his pending issues, “Naskia unatafutwa huku Kenya. Ati umehepa job?”
The controversy surrounding Ojwang’s death has rekindled long-standing public frustration over police brutality in Kenya.
Many online users drew comparisons to past incidents, such as the violent crackdown during the anti-finance bill protests in 2024, where demonstrators armed with nothing more than placards and mobile phones were met with teargas, water cannons, and in some tragic cases, live bullets.
Despite outrage and an explosive exposé by BBC Africa’s “Blood Parliament” documenting police excesses, no officer has been held accountable for the deaths of protestors to date.
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