Nairobi — Demonstrations to protest over police raids on the Standard Group are set to be held in key towns tomorrow.

In Nairobi, Lang'ata MP Raila Odinga yesterday said that plans for the demonstrations were in top gear.

Mr Odinga, a key leader of the Orange Democratic Movement, said the protest march will start at 10am at Uhuru Park's Freedom Corner before proceeding to the city centre.

Demonstrators will be demanding the resignation of Internal Security minister John Michuki over last week's police raids on the offices of KTN in the city centre and the Standard newspaper's printing press in Industrial Area.

"We shall also demand the resignation of Mr Mutahi Kagwe over the way he subsequently handled the issue," Mr Odinga told a rally at Kibera grounds near Olympic primary school.

Mr Kagwe is the minister for Information and Communications and has denied any involvement in the raids.

Mr Odinga, a former Cabinet minister, said he respected Press freedom even though the media criticise him on certain issues.

"The Nation and even the Standard at times bash me, but I have to respect the freedom of the Press because they cannot glorify me all the time," he said. Hooded policemen on Thursday raided KTN offices at I&M Building and switched off the TV station, harassed the staff and took away some equipment. The squad also paralysed the Standard's printing press on Likoni Road. During the raid, hundreds of copies of the day's issue were burnt.

Mr Michuki later said police took the action in the interest of national security, adding: "If you rattle a snake you must be prepared to be bitten by it."

And even in the face of public anger, he was unremorseful on Friday, saying that the attack was within the law.

He also said that material that posed a threat to national security had been found at the Standard offices.

In Nakuru, two rallies are likely to be held simultaneously - one in support and the other against the Government - over the raids.

Area ODM activists, led by Mr William Ating'a, Mr Sammy Seroney and Mr Nashon Oluoch, said they had secured a permit from the police to hold a rally at the Shabab ground.

The other group, led by former councillor Francis Karanja - also the chairman of Christian Democratic Party - said they had notified the police of their intention to hold a rally in support of the Government at the Kenya Railways Ground.

Mr Karanja said there was a systematic scheme by the Opposition to use sections of the media to portray the Government negatively.

He said the Kibaki government was popular and should be defended.

In Kisumu plans for demonstrations to denounce the Government were in top gear.

A local lobby group, Sauti Ya Wananchi, which is coordinating the protest march, said it would hold a procession from the town's Jomo Kenyatta grounds to the provincial commissioner's office.

Group spokesman Philip Sendwa said they would notify the police of their plans today.

Separately, Muhoroni MP Ayiecho Olweny said he supported calls for demonstrations against the State. In Mombasa, NGO leaders and politicians are also set to stage demonstrations to condemn the raids.

The NGO Muslims for Human Rights will coordinate the demonstrations called by the Orange Democratic Movement.

Muhuri coordinator Hussein Khalid yesterday said they had asked all local politicians and NGO leaders to join in condemning the raids and demanding Press freedom. The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya said it would join in the demonstrations.

"As religious leaders, we have a moral obligation to call for a free Press," said Sheikh Mohammed Dormuhammad. In Nyeri, Kanu officials said there were no plans for demonstrations.

"Most of us are in the Uhuru Kenyatta camp. We don't support Raila Odinga who has organised the demonstration," one of the opposition supporters who did not want to be named said.

Reports by Mugo Njeru, Lucas Barasa, John Ochieng', Abdulsamad Ali, Kennedy Masibo and Muchemi Wachira.