Odinga cancels Kenya rallies
2008-01-07 14:23
Nairobi - Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga on Monday called off nationwide protests over disputed presidential elections to give mediation efforts a chance as the death toll from unrest rose above 600.
One rally had been planned for Nairobi on Tuesday, but Odinga's decision came amid major new international efforts to pressure the opposition and President Mwai Kibaki into a compromise.
Meanwhile, police said that the toll from clashes since the December 27 elections had risen dramatically.
"We have at least 600 dead... some bodies are still in the bushes, where fighting occurred," said a top police official.
Some 250 000 people had also been displaced since the elections, which the opposition said were rigged.
Tutu takes part in Kenya talks
Ahmed Hashi, a spokesperson for Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement, said the decision to cancel the rallies was prompted by the expected arrival on Tuesday of the head of the African Union, Ghanaian President John Kufour.
The government welcomed the decision, which came after United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer held a third day of talks with the two camps in a bid to ease tensions.
South African Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu took part in negotiations with the two sides, and the expected arrival of Kufuor, current head of the African Union, would give a new boost to the talks.
The government and police had warned that all political demonstrations were banned as they looked to prevent the latest attempt by the opposition to rally support behind Odinga.
"Police have concrete and specific intelligence that there are people who are going to hijack these meetings for the purpose of committing crimes," said police spokesperson Eric Kiraithe.
'Nothing is back to normal'
Odinga, who had called for Kibaki's resignation, rejected a weekend offer for a unity cabinet from Kibaki.
"We are not interested in Kibaki's solution to this problem. He has nothing to offer because he did not win these elections," the opposition leader said.
Throughout Kenya, people expressed fears that the demos would spark further violence. In Nairobi's Mathare slum, scene of some of the worst unrest, some shops re-opened on Monday but the tension remained high.
"We have to work again but people are afraid here ... Tomorrow could be chaos, nothing is back to normal here," said Peter, a 23-year-old unemployed slum resident.
Members of Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe gathered in small groups, fearing new attacks by opposition supporters, mainly members of Odinga's Luo tribe.
"The Luo say Raila has won. Even the Kikuyu know that, but it's not reason to start a war ... We want peace but we also have weapons and we are not cowards," said 29-year-old Steve.
Poll monitors had said the vote-count was rife with irregularities with both sides trading accusations of rigging.