A man demonstrates along the streets of Garissa, Kenya, Aug. 10, 2017. Kenyan police used teargas canisters to break up violent demonstrations in the northeast border town of Garissa on Thursday following clashes between rival political supporters. (Xinhua/Fred Mutune)
NAIROBI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Sunday said it will launch investigations into the alleged police killings of demonstrators protesting the outcome of the Aug. 8 presidential polls.
Nairobi Regional Coordinator Bernard Leparmarai told journalists in Nairobi that police are professionally trained on how to deal with protesters.
"We are not aware of any peaceful protestors who have been killed by police bullets but we have launched an investigation to establish the truth," Leparmarai said.
The remarks come amid claims by the opposition coalition on Saturday that at least 100 people were killed by the police responding to protests which erupted after the announcement of the presidential election results on Friday.
The National Super Alliance (NASA) Legal Counsel, James Orengo said the post-election violence deaths followed a shoot-to-kill order to the police command by senior government officials.
"At least 100 people have been killed, 10 of them children," Orengo told reporters during a news conference called by the coalition's leaders to brief supporters on the ongoing political crisis.
State-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights however only 24 people have been killed across the country from police brutality since Aug. 8.
Chairperson Kagwiria Mbogori said Nairobi accounts for the highest number of casualties with 17 deaths which occurred mainly after the announcement of presidential election results on Friday night.
Leparmarai said that police are using conventional equipment such as water cannon, teargas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. He said that those killed or injured could be from stray bullets or from criminal gangs in the slums.
He added that most of Nairobi has not been affected by any political unrest as protests have been confirmed to the traditional hotspots in the slums of Mathare and Kibera.
The government administrator said that youths in the slums are being misused by politicians to cause havoc to property and innocent lives.
Leparmarai urged Nairobians to resume work as elections have been completed. "We therefore urge Kenyans to go back to their daily lives in order to earn their livehoods," he added.
