Nairobi — Thousands of Nakuru residents fled to police stations and churches for safety as violence continued for the second day in the Rift Valley town.

Rival gangs fought each other at Lanet, Free Area, Mwariki, Kaptembwa and Teachers' estates, heightening tension.

By yesterday afternoon, about 1,500 people had pitched camp at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa compound in Shabaab.

PCEA National Treasurer Mr Johnson Njatha pleaded for assistance, saying the families, particularly children, urgently needed food and clothing.

The victims were from Shabaab, Kaptembwa and Githima, which had been badly hit by the violence, the church official said.

Another 2,000 residents, mainly women and children, sought refuge at the Lanet chief's camp at Free Area, while another 500 camped at St. Francis Catholic Church within Nakuru Teachers' Estate.

About 100 people, most of them children displaced from their homes in Kaptembwa, Ponda Mali and Mwariki estates, sought refuge at the Central Police Station.

Yesterday afternoon, Kenya Red Cross Society officials used several trucks to relocate families from Lanet chief's camp to the more spacious Afraha Stadium.

The victims said they had not eaten anything since Friday evening when they fled their homes.

Smoke hung over Free Area and Kiratina estates as gangs of youths burnt household goods left behind by fleeing families.

Police officers only restrained the gangs from clashing or pursuing families fleeing to police stations.

Pandemonium broke out in Nakuru at 2.45 pm when police officers fired into the air to scare away a mob that had attacked two people at the main bus station. One of the victims died on the spot; the other was taken to hospital in critical condition.

Two military helicopters hovered over the town, identifying trouble spots and directing forces on the ground to the scenes.

Some soldiers at Free Area confronted a mob that was advancing on the chief's camp where victims had taken refuge.

They later called in the police to disperse the mob.

Most of the displaced people urged the government to provide them with security and transport to their rural homes.

The Lanet District Officer, Ms Glory Kamunge, and the area chief, Mr Stephen Lelei, told Sunday Nation that they were consulting the Nakuru District Commissioner, Mr Wilson Wanyanga, about the victims' request for government assistance.

The victims said they had lived in Free Area for many years, but they now feared their safety was no longer guaranteed there and said they would not return.

The Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner, Mr Hassan Noor Hassan, told the Sunday Nation yesterday afternoon that restriction of movement within Nakuru town was still in force between 7 pm and 6 am "to enable the police to contain the situation."

Mr Hassan said security briefings he had received indicated the situation in town "was still tense but stable".

"We are urging the residents to stop engaging in acts that violate the law and exercise restraint at all times," Mr Hassan said.