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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
Melissa Chemam

Justice and art: Kenya’s fight against police brutality; Africa’s bold new art fair in Basel

Kenyan police officers guard the entrance to Central Police Station following a protest over the death of blogger Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody under disputed circumstances, in Nairobi, on 9 June 2025. AFP - LUIS TATO

In this episode, Spotlight on Africa reviews the origins of protests in Kenya against police brutality. And you'll also hear from the co-founders of the Africa Basel contemporary art fair, in Switzerland, the newest event of its kind.

This week, we go to East Africa where Kenyans are protesting to denounce police brutality, exactly a year after a wave of protests organised against an unjust tax, that led to police violence.

Protesters hold banners and chant slogans demanding the resignation of Eliud Lagat, Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service, during a demonstration over the death of Kenyan blogger Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody, in downtown Nairobi, on 12 June 2025. © Luis Tato / AFP

This year's protests were triggered by the killing by the police of a teacher and blogger in his cell. Albert Ojwang, 31, had been arrested for criticising a policeman online.

On Monday (23 June), Kenyan prosecutors said they were charging six people, including three police officers, with murder over his death.

To better understand the issues surrounding this incident, Spotlight on Africa podcast spoke to Douglas Lucas Kivoi, Principal Policy Analyst, Governance Department, Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA).

Africa Basel 

Africa Basel launched this year in June 2025. © Africa Basel

We also head to Switzerland for a new artistic event known as Africa Basel.

This first edition of a contemporary African art fair was created to coincide with the largest fair in the world, Art Basel, in Switzerland. It was held from 17 to 22 June, with over 30 galleries and dozens of artists.

Togolese and Nigeria artists Clément Gbegno and Helen Nzete with the two co-founders of Africa Basel, Ben Füglister and Sarah Hachi-Duchêne, in Basel, Switzerland mid-June 2025. © Africa Basel

Spotlight on Africa spoke with the two co-founders of the event, as they opened the first days of the event in Basel: Benjamin Füglister, artist and cultural entrepreneur born in Switzerland, and now the director of the Africa Basel and Sarah Hachi-Duchêne, curator at unx.art.


Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam and Cecile Pompeani.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

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