Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition has condemned Interior CS Kithure Kindiki for the heavy deployment of police officers during last week's protests.
In a statement on Wednesday, the opposition outfit said the CS is overzealous in the deployment of law enforcers even on a day they had said they would not hold demonstrations.
"Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki seems to love that brutality and takes pride in it. He had offered more and heavier dose of brutality and gunfire today despite our announcement that we would only be holding vigils in honour of the victims," Azimio said.
Dozens of police officers were Wednesday deployed to various streets in the country despite the move by Azimio to cancel the protests in favour of vigils to mourn the demise of protesters who lost their lives last week.
Azimio said they would hold "solidarity parades and vigil for victims of police brutality in various locations in all parts of the country".
The event involved lighting candles and laying wreaths in remembrance of the fallen protesters.
No official statistics have been released but the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO), a group of 15 human rights NGOs working together to protect fundamental rights and freedoms, put fatalities at 23.
During the vigil held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Nairobi, Azimio said in the fullness of time, justice will have to be done.
"Prof Kindiki must make no mistake. We will pursue Justice locally and internationally for these injured and slain heroes. These people who have been shot in cold blood in cold July are heroes and patriots.
"We pray that the fair and just God will enable Prof. Kindiki to live long enough to be able to witness justice being done to these victims of State-sponsored brutality."
Azimio had called for the demonstrations to protest against the high cost of living and the introduction of controversial taxes via the impugned Finance Act, of 2023.