Thousands of men, women and children were streaming out of Kibera yesterday, as the violence continued unabated in the sprawling Nairobi slum.

Most went looking for a temporary home with family and friends in other parts of the capital, but many sought safety by spending a miserable second day camping with their few belongings at the DO's office.

For the third day running the slum became a no-go zone as riot police and officers from the General Service Unit patrolled the near-deserted alleyways and roads.

Those who were left behind told of rape, looting and merciless beatings by the police.

They said the police attacked anyone they found outside their homes, and broke down doors and chased out anyone seeking refuge.

Two more people were reported killed in the renewed fighting, while a Jehova's Witness hall in Kambi Muruu was burnt down, as warring gangs continued to dodge the police patrols.

At Kisumu Ndogo, people could be seen trying to salvage goods from the smouldering ruins of their homes.

An aerial tour over the slum, organised by Nairobi police boss Geoffrey Muathe, showed the streets nearly empty save for streams of people fleeing in droves.

Some carried their belongings in handcarts, lorries and cars, while others carried whatever they owned in their arms or on their heads.

Six more houses were torched during the night, increasing the fears of residents huddled at the DO's office for protection. They claimed they had nowhere to go, and vowed to camp there until calm is restored.

Women there appealed for food from well wishers, claiming they had gone without any for two days.

With the number of people rising by the hour, there are fears of outbreaks of diseases unless the Government moves fast to bring the situation back to normal. The compound has no toilets or washrooms, except those used by the DO and his staff.

Scores of workers returning home in the evening, joined forces to guard their homes against looters.

Others were still trying to trace their families, hoping that they had survived the violence of the day.

Said Ms Jael Mutiso, a single mother of three children: "They burnt down my house at night, with all my belongings. I cannot go back, and have nowhere to go."

She appealed to President Moi to visit the area, saying only he could quell the violence, which began after he visited Kibera and ordered the Provincial Administration to ensure rents were lowered.

Following a meeting with landlords at which rent cuts were agreed, PC Cyrus Maina was stoned at a baraza he held to announce the rent reductions.

Since then some tenants have refused to pay any rent until the row was settled.

Fresh violence broke out again on Tuesday, leaving ten people feared dead and dozens seriously injured.

Ms Mutiso added: "Moi ametuuza. Kwa nini alianzisha moto halafu anatoroka? (Moi has sold us. Why did he light the fire and then leave us?)"

Ms Shumi Ismael, aged 23, who has two children. broke down as she accused Mr Raila Odinga, the National Development Party leader, of fuelling the violence.

"I now have nowhere to go, while politicians who incited their tribesmen not to pay rent sleep comfortably with their wives and children," she said.

Ms Ismael, who has lived in Kibera for eight years, accused the President and Mr Odinga of having provoked the fighting.

"We the poor are left suffering. Our houses have been burnt, our mosque was tear-gassed . . . if they can do this to us who can help us? We leave it to God because He will surely punish them," she said.

Unable to salvage anything, she spent the night huddling among other displaced people at the DO's compound.

Ms Amina Subira, 54, wept uncontrollably as she recited verses from the Koran. A grandmother of seven, Ms Subira said her mud-walled home was set ablaze early yesterday.

"We were all asleep at night, when we heard some commotion outside. As we struggled to wake up, the house was torched from outside by a gang of men. They were screaming and there was a lot of commotion. By the time we got out the house was on fire and all we could was watch it burn to the ground."

Ms Subira, who had lived in her three rooms at Makina for more than a decade, said she became separated from her daughter as they ran to safety. "What shall l do with all these children? Where is my daughter? Who will help us?" she asked.

Some women claimed they had been raped.

Ms Joyce Chebet said police stole from her and then tried to rape her. She said she was saved by some relatives who screamed an alarm.

"I feel traumatised by the incident; the police should protect us and not harass us," she said.

A broadcast journalist with Nation Media Group, Ms Alice Kararu, was injured when charged by a group of youths armed with pangas and clubs. She was rescued when police fired in the air to disperse the mob.