6 hacked to death in Mombasa

2007-12-31 19:08

Mombasa - Six people were hacked to death in Kenya's port city of Mombasa on Monday in attacks on members of the tribe of freshly re-elected President Mwai Kibaki, police and an AFP correspondent said.

"We have confirmed that six people have been hacked to death in the fighting here in Changamwe" neighbourhood, said a police commander who requested anonymity.

An AFP correspondent saw the bodies with multiple machete wounds.

The victims were from Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe and were attempting to protect their businesses, which were being targeted by looters from other tribes.

Mombasa is Kenya's second largest city and had been relatively spared by the unrest that flared during the presidential election's controversial tallying process.

"Whatever has happened to us because Raila was not sworn in as president, we will avenge and start moving from house to house to kill the Kikuyus," said one Mombasa resident, before running amok with the looters.

According to a tally compiled by AFP, 116 people were killed since Kibaki's victory was announced on Sunday and a total of 136 since polling day on December 27.

- AFP