Kenyans have shown overwhelming support following the death of blogger Albert Ojwang, who died while in police custody at Central Police Station in Nairobi on Sunday, June 8.
The support has been so great that Ojwang’s father’s M-Pesa account hit its maximum transaction limit within just three hours after it was shared online on Tuesday.
Ojwang died under unclear circumstances and his passing has attracted national attention, with the police's top brass under sharp focus.
Comedian Eric Omondi on Wednesday, June 11, stated that within 11 minutes of sharing Ojwang's father's phone number online, donations began pouring in.
“First and foremost, I want to say thank you for the overwhelming response we have given to Albert’s family through the father; just 11 minutes after I posted that video, Ojwang's father's phone was maxed up. Anyone who sends anything, God bless you,” Omondi stated.
He added that the responses were so rapid that the M-Pesa account reached its Ksh 500,000 maximum balance within three hours.
Some contributors were unable to complete their transactions because of the flood of contributions that were getting into
Kenyans filled social media with screenshots of successful payments and messages of solidarity.
The maximum account balance that a user can hold at any given time is capped at Ksh 500,000. And the maximum amount allowed for a single transaction is Ksh250,000.
“Let’s stand with Albert’s father. Albert left behind a 3-year-old son. Let’s ensure that he never lacks anything. May he grow up knowing his father died a hero. Send whatever you can to Albert's father's number,” he said
Recognising the urgency and desire from the public to continue assisting the grieving family, Omondi offered an alternative number through which funds could be sent.
Additionally, advising Kenyans to use Pochi La Biashara, a Safaricom service that bypasses standard personal wallet limits.
