Kenya Election Riots Leave At Least 140 Dead

Tribal killings fuelled by fury over a “rigged” presidential poll have swept Kenya as the wave of post-election violence claimed at least 140 lives.

At sunrise, enraged supporters of Raila Odinga, the opposition politician who President Mwai Kibaki claims to have defeated, emerged from slums and villages to vent their fury over what they believe was a “stolen election”. President Kibaki responded with an uncompromising New Year message, insisting that the contest had been “free and fair” and pledging to “deal decisively with those who breach the peace”.A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in the town of Kisumu, a stronghold of support for Mr. Odinga where about 53 people have been killed. Troops enforced this measure by shooting on sight. In the capital city of Nairobi, protesters fled slow moving lines of riot police, firing tear gas and flanked by armoured trucks loaded with pepper-spray cannons.Much of the violence has been between the Luo and the Kikuyu tribes, who are traditional enemies.

Mr. Odinga is a Luo while President Kibaki, 76, is from the dominant Kikuyu tribe which has largely controlled Kenya since independence from Britain in 1963. Luos sought revenge for Mr. Odinga’s alleged election defeat by attacking Kikuyus at random and destroying their homes and businesses. In Mombasa, six Kikuyus were hacked to death. This incident provoked swift retaliation and the murder of three Luos. Almost half of the deaths were in Kisumu, a largely Luo area. The government has sought to quell the unrest by banning local television and radio stations from making live broadcasts. Public transport has largely closed down, leaving thousands stranded.Mr. Odinga, 62, has formally rejected the election result and accused the President of rigging the poll. On Monday he declared that President Kibaki had no right to govern. “Democracy is under siege in this country,” said Mr. Odinga. “The illegitimate government of Mwai Kibaki is holding the entire country hostage and we fear they have more ruses up their sleeves. All emerging dictatorships follow the same patterns.

But Kenyans are not as they were in the 1960s and 1970s, we have matured and will not stand for this.”Western governments have expressed deep unease. David Miliband, Britain's Foreign Secretary, said it had “real concerns” about reports of ballot-rigging. The U.S. State Department, having first congratulated President Kibaki on his victory, hastily withdrew this accolade and said: “We do have serious concerns, as I know others do, about irregularities in the vote count.” Alexander Graf Lambsdorf, head of the European Union election observer mission, said the vote “tallying process lacks credibility”.Mr. Odinga pledged to organize “peaceful mass action” against the government. His Orange Democratic Movement has won a majority in Parliament and could force a vote of no confidence in the president. This would trigger a new election.