Azimio coalition has expressed concern over an emerging trend where vehicles bearing foreign number plates are deployed during arrests.
Azimio in a statement read by Usawa Party leader Mwangi wa Iria, Azimio warned that the trend if not stopped is likely to breed unnecessary hatred between Kenyans and people from the countries involved.
Wa Iria alleged the vehicles are used to trail, make arrests and shoot at protesters warning this will create tension.
“Both police and hired goons are trailing, arresting and shooting people from vehicles with foreign number plates. In the three days demos that ended on Friday South Sudan and Tanzania number plates were visibly deployed,” Wa Iria said.
“This creates unnecessary tension and conflict between our country and these friendly countries and our people against the people of Tanzania and South Sudan,” he added.
Police have been on the spot for deploying worrying tactics to make arrests during protests.
On Thursday, Amnesty International raised concern over an increase in non-uniformed police officers during anti-government protests.
The lobby decried a rise in arbitrary arrests of peaceful demonstrators by officers who are wearing civilian clothes.
Amnesty Executive Director Irungu Houghton said all officers deployed to quell protests must be identifiable by uniform or number badges to avoid abuse of power and other violations.
On Friday, lobbyists hit out at police for masquerading as journalists to make arrests during protests.
Kenya Human Rights Commission, FIDA Kenya and Haki Afrika termed the move as disturbing saying it compromises the safety of journalists as they go about executing their duties.
“We are also disturbed by cases of police officers masquerading as journalists on duty to arrest protestors,” they said.
In one of the incidences of impersonation, a video circulating on social media on Wednesday showed a man who was filming protests in Mathare suddenly arresting one of the protesters.
The man who was in plain clothes was seen standing near the crowd, filming using a phone before he grabbed one of the demonstrators and escorted him to a waiting police lorry.
