Legislators from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party claim that the police encouraged violence during the rally on Monday.
They asserted that up until the police got involved, their supporters were peaceful. According to Edwin Sifuna, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Secretary General, the Monday protest was peaceful in planning and execution until the police interfered.
Sifuna said their supporters showed up unarmed, yet the police used rubber bullets and teargassed them.
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Sifuna Azimio coalition is working to identify specific police officers responsible for the violence and will report them to the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Suna East MP Junet Mohammed said it is up to the police to decide whether or not the protests will be peaceful.
"It is only the police who can decide whether protests will be peaceful or violent," he said.
Godfrey Osotsi, a senator for Vihiga, had earlier stated that the police were directly responsible for inciting violence by firing tear gas and water cannons at supporters who he claimed were peaceful and unarmed.
The lawmaker claimed that despite being pushed to their limits by security personnel who he claimed decided to brutalize them, Azimio supporters did not confront police.
Junet said the police action was unwarranted. According to him, the police started blocking the roads and harassing people before the procession started.
The MP said police are largely to blame for using teargas unnecessarily. Junet expressed regret that security personnel chose to assault and "terrorize" demonstrators despite Azimio having issued a public notice for the large-scale protest. Junet said he saw protesters were peaceful but were provoked by police who used excessive force.
