Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino has explained how officers are trained to handle violent protesters during demonstrations.
Owino said traditionally, police are trained to start with a proclamation.
" You start by asking people, that everyone gathered here is being commanded to disperse and leave immediately," he said on Thursday during an interview with Citizen TV.
Owino said this is the work of the Inspector who is in charge of the group of police officers.
He said if the protesters refuse to disperse, then the police can use their teargas.
"When they refuse, you use your teargas and baton (rungu) to disperse them," Owino said.
When it comes to destruction of property, this is the time police end up using their firearms, Owino said.
"I hear people say police should use rubber bullets. But will it stop them?" he posed.
He said Kenyans must face the reality that police must be given "power to bite".
Owino said when officers were taught how to use firearms, they were told to target the ringleader of a group if the situation was extremely dangerous.
"You say the tall guy with a red hat, aim then fire! Those are the procedures and it happens," Owino said.
He said police are trained to reduce casualty as much as possible.
Owino acknowledged that the Constitution provides for the right to picket, adding that there is a procedure to be followed.
"The procedure is that if you want to assemble, to picket, it must be peaceful and disciplined and you must not be armed," he said.
He noted that recently in Bondo, protesters attacked a police officer which he termed as a provocation.
Owino said such provocation might lead the police to use their firearm on the protesters.
Further, he said if police fail to use firearms, then there will be no fear among the bad people and criminals during protests.
Owino said police can be overpowered by citizens.
"If you are five to ten police officers against 1,000 protesters, how do you react? How do you manage your firearm and teargas, how do you manage this situation?" he said.