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Kenya warns of tougher steps to stem riots
Kenya yesterday warned it would act tougher to reign in post-election violence threatening to spiral out of control in the east African nation's darkest moment since independence in 1963.
- Reuters
- Published: 01:28 January 31, 2008
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Nairobi: Kenya yesterday warned it would act tougher to reign in post-election violence threatening to spiral out of control in the east African nation's darkest moment since independence in 1963.
Protests over President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election in the December 27 election have degenerated into cycles of killing between rival tribes, and there is increasing evidence of gangs being well organised on both sides.
The top US diplomat for Africa urged the political rivals to forge a compromise at mediation led by former UN chief Kofi Annan and warned that the cycle of ethnic retaliation had "gone too far".
Organised effort
"There has been an organised effort to push out people from Rift Valley ... It is clearly ethnic cleansing," US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer said in Ethiopia.
Most of the deaths since the election came in attacks that at first targeted Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe.
They are now taking revenge on pro-opposition tribes. Police have also killed close to 100 protesters backing opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Internal Security Minister George Saitoti yesterday warned that police would tolerate no more violence, and would ensure that Kenya's roads and rail lines - critical lifelines for neighbouring nations - would remain open. "We have decided to act tough this time. We are not going to allow criminals and hooligans to run around. No country or government can allow that," he told reporters.
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