Malaba residents took to the streets after a 27-year-old man was allegedly shot dead by a police officer for not wearing a mask.
Ezekiel Odera was rushed to hospital but died while he was being attended to, said his brother.
Locals demonstrated on Saturday, November 28. They lit bonfires and took off their masks in defiance causing a major traffic snarl-up at the border town.
Teso North MP Edward Oku Kaunya condemned police brutality and called on the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to bring the perpetrator to book.
"I condemn with the strongest terms the incident that took place. It is unfortunate that police officers can use firearms because a young man has not put on a mask. Action should be taken by the IG. The officer must be arrested and arraigned in court," Kaunya stated.
The MP reiterated that firearms were meant to be used to protect citizens rather than to scare them off.
"The public is demonstrating peacefully and the GSU should not be deployed to harm them. They are expressing their rightful anger," added Kaunya.
The incident took place a month after two police officers were arrested in Likuyani, Kakamega county in connection with the suspected murder of Denis Lusava.
Lusava was arrested on Wednesday, October 7 for allegedly not having a face mask but according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspect was arrested for assaulting a police officer.
Lusava was released on a free bond at 12.40 pm pending the filing of a P3 form.
He, however, went missing shortly after, and his body was later discovered in River Nzoia.
