The Morticians and Allied Professionals Association of Kenya (MAPAKe) has asked the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to provide the names of the persons and facilities alleged to have hired dead bodies during the anti-government protests.
Koome made the claims on Tuesday, August 8, accusing members of the Opposition of colluding with morgue attendants to hire dead bodies, then later saying that they were killed by police officers.
Elkana Mwinami, Morticians Associations Chairperson, in a statement on Friday, August 11 condemned Koome's utterances saying they are tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of the institution.
"We demand the Inspector General to furnish both Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority and Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board the particulars of those implicated for investigation and if found culpable, necessary disciplinary actions taken against them," said Mwinami.
"He has all the machinery to know who perpetuated such a hideous act. All he has to do is to name the person and the facility so that investigations can be done," he added.
According to Mwinami, if Koome does not produce the names, they are also demanding that he withdraws his comments regarding the institution and those in the profession.
The morticians also added that such generalizing comments could lead to 'darker times' when gaining the public trust was an issue, something they have worked tirelessly to bury.
"We condemn the statement because we believe that no mortuary technician in Kenya today can even attempt to do such a thing. The office of the Inspector General is such a respected office to even attempt to lower it to such unimaginable actions."
Koome made the remarks in a bid to address the police brutality reported during the nationwide anti-government protests.
During the demonstrations, some protestors caught up in the chaos nursed bullet wounds while others succumbed to gunshot wounds as police introduced live bullets in addition to the use of teargas.
