Nairobi — The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has opened investigations into the deaths of four people on Thursday in Masimba Kajiado County.

The incident occurred when angry residents who were protesting over the human-wildlife conflict issues in the area clashed with security officers drawn from the elite general service Unit.

IPOA Chairperson Anne Makori said they had dispatched a team to the area as part of the efforts to gather information on what transpired.

"In line with the provisions of the IPOA Act Section 7 (a)(x), which dictates that deaths and injuries occasioned by actions of the police be investigated by the Authority, and Section 5 of the Sixth Schedule of the National Police Service Act which compels the police to report all deaths, serious injury and other grave consequences to the Authority for investigations, a Rapid Response Team was this morning 3rd June 2022 dispatched with instructions to obtain all information that may be relevant in unveiling the circumstances surrounding the incident," Makori said.

She stated that if found culpable, IPOA will recommend prosecution of those involved.

"On completion of the investigations, where fault is found, the Authority shall make recommendations, including but not limited to prosecution," she added.

She noted that IPOA remains committed to being independent, impartial, and fair.

During the incident, three people died on the spot while another was pronounced dead at a local hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds after allegedly being shot at by the police.

Makindu Hospital confirmed the four deaths adding some six other people had sustained injuries of varying degrees.

The police unit was deployed to quell protests at Masimba along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.

Aggrieved residents barricaded the road for hours cutting off the transport corridor as motorists and transporters watched helplessly.

Locals staged the demos to express displeasure with the national administration over the unresolved human-wildlife conflict in the area that had resulted in eight deaths within three months, the latest victim being a teacher who was killed a week earlier.

The police did not comment on the operation at Masimba.