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The Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition says it will on Friday hold an interdenominational prayer service in Bondo, Siaya County, for supporters who died at the hands of the police during the opposition’s anti-government protests last month.

In a statement, the coalition said the prayers will be held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Park from 9:00 am. The event will be led by Azimio leader Raila Odinga.

“Raila Amolo Odinga will tomorrow, August 11th, 2023 lead Azimio Kenya Coalition in an interdenominational prayers for those who lost their lives during demonstrations following disproportionate use of force by the Police,” Azimio said.

According to the political outfit, its leadership will use the occasion to condemn use of excess force by police during recent demonstrations in the country as well as demand individual accountability for the killings.

The opposition also wants the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, Netherlands, to take its complaints regarding the situation in Kenya seriously.

“Azimio will also be asking the ICC to take a keener interest in the Kenya situation which they describe as crimes against humanity,” the coalition added.

A similar service was held in Nairobi on July 28, 2023.

Friday’s event comes a week after revelations that 24 people were killed during protests in Kisumu and Kisii counties alone last month.

A report released by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Amnesty International indicated that 41 people also suffered serious injuries during the demos.

“Most victims were between the ages of 17-38 and are overwhelmingly male. The cause of death has been attributed to the use of live and rubber bullets at close range. Some of the victims were picked from their homes by the police, especially in the Nyamasaria area in Kisumu,” LSK said.

However, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome denied the allegations on Tuesday, saying some of the bodies shown to the media were hired by some “senior leaders”.

“We are going to discharge our mandate without losing focus. We are aware of the situation we are in, a lot of propaganda with the intention of demoralizing police officers and intimidating them. We have seen in the recent past senior members of the society going to mortuaries, hiring dead bodies, calling media and telling them that they were killed by police officers. How low can our leaders go?” Koome told the press at the National Police Training College in Kiganjo.

Later on the same day, Raila countered the claims, insisting that the bodies in question had gunshot wounds.

“It is very disappointing to hear IG Japhet Koome say that we hired dead bodies to accuse police of brutality. I don’t know which world he lives in because the bodies we buried have bullet wounds and death certificates confirming the cause of death,” Raila said.