The Azimio One Kenya Coalition party will today hold interdenominational prayers for victims of police brutality during the anti-government protests days after the police boss Japhet Koome controversially claimed that some bodies were hired from morgues to paint police in bad picture.
Raila Odinga is expected to grace the ceremony set to be held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Park in Bondo, Siaya county between 9am and 12:30pm.
“Raila Amolo Odinga will tomorrow, August 11th, 2023 lead Azimio Kenya Coalition in an interdenominational prayer for those who lost their lives during demonstrations following disproportionate use of force by the police.” A quick dispatch to newsrooms read in part.
While at Kiganjo Police Training College this week, the Inspector General of Police accused politicians of hiring dead bodies from mortuaries and portraying them as victims of police brutality.
He asserted that political leaders conspired with morgue attendants take pictures of the bodies, after which they post them on social media platforms to taint the image of the police force.
“The information I have is that they (politicians) go to some of the mortuaries compromise some of the workers there.” The Police boss said.
He added that: “People who died of some illness, people who died maybe of an accident or other causes, they (politicians) take photographs of such bodies and blame on police. But we are not in the business of all the time responding to politicians.” Koome said.
In a quick rejoinder, morticians slammed the police boss terming his utterances as unfair and an attack to their profession.
Morticians and Allied Professionals Association of Kenya (MAPAKe) condemned Koome over his remarks that politicians were hiring dead bodies from mortuaries and portraying them as victims of police brutality during the anti-government protests.
“We condemn the statement made by the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome because we believe that no mortuary technician in the Kenya of today can even attempt to do such a thing.” MAPAKe said.
Azimio leaders are expected to push prosecution of officers allegedly involved in human right abuses.
The opposition team also seeks to involve the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe the deaths which they say are crimes against humanity.
“Leaders will use this occasion to condemn the Kenya Police Service and demand that individual police officers who were involved in the killings be held personally responsible. Azimio will also be asking the ICC to take a keener interest in the Kenya situation which they describe as crimes against humanity.” The statement read in part.
At the same time, the caskets of those who were killed will be laid for public viewing before being transported to their respective homes for interment.
In the recent spate of anti-government demonstrations that swept the country from March to July, over 30 people were reportedly killed.
