Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah now wants the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) of the National Police Service to thoroughly investigate the alleged killings by police officers during the recent anti-government demonstrations.

In a letter on Monday addressed to the IAU director, the senator says the police unit should probe police misconduct as mandated by the law.

He demands that the Internal Affairs Unit inform Kenyans how the operation of the police was planned and conducted, and why civilian police officers were deployed to the protests.

“Kenyans should know how armed men in civilian clothing, mostly hooded, joined the uniformed police units deployed to deal with the demonstrators. How many police officers were issued with live bullets and has the ammunition been accounted for?” the senator poses.

Further, Omtatah wants those found responsible for the killings of protesters and other Kenyans to be held accountable.

“In view of the above, and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable, I demand that the Internal Affairs Unit conducts prompt and thorough investigations into the gross misconduct by the police, which resulted in the death and injuries,” Omtatah writes.

The senator challenged the Internal Affairs Unit to provide a copy of the investigation to be made to him and the Kenyan public once the probe is finalised.

Kenyan policed have been heavily criticised for excessive use of force, opening fire and brutalising of unarmed protesters in the demos which have seen over 60 people killed since mid-June, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.