The man, named as Boniface Manono, from Kiambu County just north of Nairobi, said he was caught up in the violence as he walked to the bus station to go home.

He said he changed direction after a teargas canister was thrown at him but when he started to run, police officers chased him, according to the Daily Nation.

"Several police officers beat me up with batons and left me there. I was helpless," said Mr Manono.

The pictures of three heavily armed riot officers clubbing and kicking the prone man and stamping on his head were beamed around the world and sparked outrage over what appeared to be a brutal and disproportionate response to the latest in a series of protests by an opposition party coalition against allegedly corrupt and partisan election officials ahead of polls next year.