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Scores killed in riots across Kenya

NAIROBI: Police battled thousands of opposition supporters across Kenya who charge President Mwai Kibaki stole his way to re-election, and several officers said on Monday they had orders to shoot to kill to quell the violence that has killed at least 94 persons.

The violence started in the days after Thursday’s vote, stretching from Nairobi’s shantytowns, which are home to tens of thousands of opposition supporters, to the Rift Valley and the tourist-friendly coast.

“We have been rigged out, we are not going to accept defeat,” 24-year-old James Onyango, who lives in Nairobi’s Kibera slum, said on Monday. “We are ready to die and we’re ready for serious killings.”

Teams of riot police fired shots into the air and tear gas into homes and businesses; in one home, a woman and her four young children ran out, retching.

“We were just hiding from the shots,” said Dorothy Nyangasi, frantically pouring water over the eyes of her 6-month-old old son Daniel.

Other residents said that they had not been able to find food since shops closed for elections on Thursday and trouble began over the delayed vote-counting. A woman shouted “hungry! hungry!” at passing journalists.

The violence has killed at least 94 persons since Saturday across the country, police and witnesses said, although the tally was likely far higher. Three police officers said independently that they had been ordered to shoot to kill to stop the rioters. “Yes there is a shoot to kill order,” said one police official, who like the others asked that his name not be used because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Raila Odinga, the fiery opposition leader who came in second according to the official results, compared Mr. Kibaki to a military dictator who “seized power through the barrel of the gun.”

Mr. Odinga, who had been leading early results and public opinion polls, also postponed a planned rally on Monday in Nairobi. Police had warned the opposition not to hold the rally. Mr. Odinga instead called on 1 million people to gather on Thursday. — AP

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