Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja once stood before a grieving family and made bold promises.
He pledged to educate the son of the late blogger Albert Ojwang, to support his parents, and to give the widow, Nevinina Onyango, a job with the County. Those words lifted a broken family with hope. Today, they stand as empty promises.
At the height of the Justice for Albert campaign, Sakaja met the family at City Hall and assured them of his personal commitment. He said I have known Albert for a long time.
“If you look through his Facebook and X, you will see he was a personal influencer. We will walk with his family on this journey,” Sakaja said.
He also committed to covering all burial expenses, funding the education of Ojwang’s son, George Miles, and clearing the outstanding college fees for his widow, who was then pursuing a diploma in community health.
He went further and told them she is in her final semester, and once she completes her training, we will ensure she gets a job with the County.
Months later, Nevinina is unemployed and abandoned. Reports reveal that she even lost her former job after employers assumed Sakaja would give her one.
Instead, she is left stranded with no income while the Governor moves on with his political life. This is not just neglect; it is a betrayal of a grieving family who trusted his word.
It is shameful that a leader can stand in front of cameras to comfort mourners, pledge support, and then fail to honour his commitments.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja gestures during a past rally. Photo: Sakaja Johnson Source: Facebook
This is not leadership; it is political theatre at the expense of people’s pain. A widow and a young boy are living with the consequences of promises that were meant for headlines, not action.
If Sakaja truly meant what he said, he must act now. Justice for Albert is not only about investigating how he died in police custody.
It is also about standing by the family he left behind. Words without action are nothing. The widow is still waiting. The child is still growing. The family is still grieving. It is time for the Governor to keep his word.