The umbrella body for morticians in Kenya has read the riot act to the Inspector General (IG) of Police Japhet Koome following his remarks about bodies of victims killed during anti-government demonstrations.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Morticians and Allied Professionals Association of Kenya took offence at Koome's claims that the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition hired dead bodies from morgues to paint police officers in a bad light.
"Mortuary Technicians are no longer the rogue, careless, dirty, drunk and reckless uneducated individuals. Mortuary Technicians are registered, licensed and regulated by government authority established by an Act of parliament; Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority (KHPOA).
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"Mortuary Technicians are governed by ethics, chiefly among them being, respect and confidentiality of the deceased and respect for the loss, feelings and the right of the bereaved to mourn their loved ones in peace. Mortuary Technicians operate within and observe the laws of Kenya in all our practice. We however don't have control of what happens with our clients once they are out of our custody," Morticians said in a statement issued on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
"We condemn the statement made by the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome because we believe that no mortuary Technician in the Kenya of today can even attempt to do such a thing. The office of the Inspector General is such a respected office to even attempt to lower it to such unimaginable actions.
We work very closely with the Police Service in our day-to-day operations and believe that this position we are taking is very well known to the Inspector General," the statement added.
Apology, ultimatum
Morticians further challenged Koome to produce the culprits who allowed bodies to be hired by the opposition for the purpose of portraying police in a bad light.
They further demanded that the police IG apologizes to Kenya if he can't substantiate his claims.
"The purpose of the press release therefore, Is to DEMAND the Inspector General to furnish both Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority and Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board; the two registering, regulating and licensing bodies of Mortuary Technicians and the Mortuary facilities respectively the particulars of those implicated for investigation and if found culpable, necessary disciplinary actions taken again them," the mortician said.
"Failure to do so, the Inspector General should withdraw his remarks against the facilities as he put it and also the Mortuary practitioners as he also put it in his statement.
"Mortuary practitioners serve all Kenyans without caring about their tribe, race, class, political alignment or religion. It k therefore very unfair for the Inspector General to t tag our profession along or into matters we are less concerned with," they added.
Propaganda
Speaking at the National Police Training College in Kiganjo during the opening of a six-week senior officers training course, Koome said that the opposition has been hiring dead bodies to accuse the officers of killing them during the protests.
"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?" he posed.
He, however, said that the police service will not relent in carrying out its mandate of protecting its people and property no matter the accusations.
Koome's statement has unleashed a flurry of reactions from all quarters. The clergy and human rights defenders have also expressed disappointment in his remarks.
