19 January 2008
Nairobi — About two kilometres of Kenya-Uganda Railway line was uprooted in Nairobi's Kibera's slums on the final day of mass action as more deaths and violent confrontations took place.
The feeder line into landlocked Uganda was yanked off the ground as police said 82 of 510 so far killed in the post-election violence died in the hands of the police.
The figure given by the police, whose spokesman said has been using live bullets because of a shortage of rubber ones, excluded the seven killed on Friday.
It was another day of gunshots and teargas in Eldoret, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Mombasa, Narok, Busia and Nairobi as President Kibaki named a reconciliation team, which Vice- President Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, leads.
Members of the Government team expected to dialogue with the Orange Democratic Movement are Cabinet ministers Prof George Saitoti (Internal security), Ms Martha Karua (Justice), Mr Amos Kimunya (Finance), Mr Uhuru Kenyatta (Local Government), Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere (Transport), Mr Moses Wetangula (Foreign), and Attorney General, Mr Amos Wako.
The confrontation between police and Muslim faithful in Mombasa and Nairobi ensued as formal communication came the African Union mediators Mr Kofi Annan and Mrs Graca Machel arrive on Tuesday.
Caught by the police bullet in Kibera was a primary school girl, 13. Demonstrations disrupted business in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu as death toll from post-election violence soared.
Rioters in Kibera vent their anger on the main railway line that cuts across the slum to western Kenya and pulled it off the tracks. Police shot dead four people in the slums, one in Mombasa and two in Narok as they suppressed peaceful demonstrations.
Four other people died in Narok in clashes involving members of two communities, while youths in Molo ambushed a police van and shot one officer dead, with an arrow.
Mayhem was most intense in Kibera where police shot dead the 13-year-old from Lwanga Primary School, as she sat in her house on Laini Saba. She was cowering from the chaos outside.
A boy, Brian Oluoch, 12, was also shot and injured. He was undergoing treatment last night at Masaba Hospital.
ODM leader Mr Raila Odinga whose Lang'ata constituency, Kibera falls visited the hospital last evening. He saw four bodies and condemned the police shootings of demonstrators, saying it was brutal and oppressive.
Annan, whose trip last week was postponed after he went down with flu, is to team up with Graca Machel and former Tanzanian president Mr Benjamin Mkapa, who is in the country.
Raila, who met Mkapa, said later his party would negotiate with Kibaki's team through an international mediator.
Kalonzo also held talks with members of Africa Forum for Peace Mission.
Led by former Mozambican president Joachim Chissano the peace mission members included Mkapa and former Botswana president, Sir Ketumile Masire.
The Vice-Presidential Press Service reported that Kalonzo briefed them on the efforts the Government is making to restore peace and disclosed plans to establish a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission. Eighty Party of National Unity MPs met and also proposed such a commission to help re-unite the country after the post-election falling out.
Gunfire and tear gas pervaded the alleys of Kibera slum as contingents of anti-riot police moved in and charged into crowds that had gathered since morning protesting along the railway line, and destroying tracks.
Narok also soaked the brunt of the violence as members of one community turned on another and killed three people. Police who moved in to quell the fighting at Majengo area shot dead two people.
Running battles
In Nairobi, the streets around the centre of town were scenes of running battles for the third day running as police dispersed ODM leaders who tried to march to Uhuru Park.
Ugenya MP, Mr James Orengo and Likoni MP Mahsud Mwahima were tear gassed as they tried to lead a crowd to Uhuru Park.
Veteran politician Martin Shikuku was arrested, but later released, as he joined the demonstrators.
In Mombasa, police shot dead one demonstrator as chaos rocked the town shortly after the lunchtime prayers.
ODM Pentagon member, Mr Najib Balala, who led the demonstrators, complained to police that they were shooting wananchi, who were peaceful.
In Kisumu supporters of ODM engaged anti-riot police officers in running battles during the third day of mass action in the town. But for the first time, since the protests began, no killings were reported in the town, as police only shot in the air to scare demonstrators.
Police headquarters termed as 'unfortunate' an incident in which an anti-riot officer was captured on camera shooting two unarmed protestors in Kisumu, killing one.
The officer, according to police spokesman Eric Kiraithe, has reportedly been "temporarily interdicted" pending the outcome of investigation.
In Eldoret, tension reigned after wananchi suspected a GK vehicle was carrying Ugandan Security personnel.
Angry residents who claim some Ugandan soldiers were in the country blocked the Eldoret-Nakuru highway and with assistance from a senior GSU officer from Nairobi, established the vehicle had no Ugandans.
In Molo armed youths ambushed a contingent of security personnel in Molo and killed an officer, as post-polls violence escalated.
At the same time, police in Nakuru town arrested ODM leader Pastor Mike Brawan for allegedly inciting the public to violence. Heads of diplomatic missions from nine countries protested the police killings and use of excessive force.
The United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland urged the Government to investigate and bring charges on those concerned.
"We have seen clear and disturbing footage of the use of lethal force on unarmed demonstrators. Where Kenyan authorities or other agents have evidence of violence being instigated and carried out by whatever party, we urge that efforts be made to investigate and to bring charges against those concerned," they said in statement.
The Kenya Red Cross called for continued support in donations, saying the crisis of displaced people continued to soar.
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