@toshman
This particular case is very much different from all the other cases.
there is a true sense of wanting freedom in this particular case.,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The previous cases of deaths in the article you cited shows that most where pre-election.
Meaning the deaths resulted from people campaigning for a candidate

In this recent case people unfortunately lost their lives in post-election violence,,,,,,,,,,defending their votes.

The former was also the case of Nigeria, majority of the deaths recorded where pre-election, where most of the victims where fighting for a candidate

There is a fundamental difference!

since Kibaki has decided to inaugurate a cabinet composed of riggers and political thieves, so i support Raila's decision to proceed with his rally!

bibiking1:

since Kibaki has decided to inaugurate a cabinet composed of riggers and political thieves, so i support Raila's decision to proceed with his rally!

very gibberish

@ bibiking
people killing kenyans of the presidents tribe are fighting for freedom abi? poor kenyans killing poor kenyans are fighting for freedom. hmmmn. . . . i'm learning

bibiking1:

since Kibaki has decided to inaugurate a cabinet composed of riggers and political thieves, so i[b] support Raila's decision to proceed with his rally![/b]

please be attentive!

since Kibaki has decided to inaugurate a cabinet composed of riggers and political thieves, so i support Raila's decision to proceed with his rally!

Total rubbish; Corruption should be fought at all levels. It is already reported both parties rigged so Raila has no moral authority. The again look at crooks at his party.

Ruto- he was supposed to be the next PM but he has pending corruption cases in court. And also being reported as the guy behind and financing post elections skirmishes. He is a big beneficiary of Moi corrupt regime.

Mudavadi-Raila right hand man,mastermind behind Kenya biggest corruption scandal that brought the economy to a grounding halt.

and a few others reported to have fleeced government institutions.

Raila's party is ridden with so many crooks such that it is better the devil you know.Right now Kibaki has new guys so he can have a clean slate and redeem himself.

its like maing a choice btw obasanjo and atiku.God help mama africa.

Mutegi:

Total rubbish; Corruption should be fought at all levels. It is already reported both parties rigged so Raila has no moral authority. The again look at crooks at his party.

Ruto- he was supposed to be the next PM but he has pending corruption cases in court. And also being reported as the guy behind and financing post elections skirmishes. He is a big beneficiary of Moi corrupt regime.

Mudavadi-Raila right hand man,mastermind behind Kenya biggest corruption scandal that brought the economy to a grounding halt.

and a few others reported to have fleeced government institutions.

Raila's party is ridden with so many crooks such that it is better the devil you know.Right now Kibaki has new guys so he can have a clean slate and redeem himself.

well is it not imperative that there are few choices from which kenyans make decisions! then why dont they take the next best step,,,,which is the Unity government?

Now that its confirmed from all sources and the whole world  know that riggging was done at very high level office of ECK and chairman samuel confirmed he was under siege to announce false results, If kibaki was a real gentleman then he must step down, period! Its now apparent Raila ousted him with voter and people power.
Afterall he has finished his term and presidency is never permanent anywhere thats why elections are periodic
I understand Kenyans do appreciate him reving economy but that has been tainted when he became power hungry as he is doing now.
For sure I must commend former president Moi for his peaceful transition sometimes back unlike him. there must be something fishy he knows  he has done at statehouse and it will be discovered when Raila takes over thats why he rather die a president than even hear a word from Kuffor,Annan or Frazier-US SG.He lied to Kuffor he was attending a fundraising function yet he went to swear in the band wagon cabinet.What a shame?Kufffor is way way respected than him
We need Mandelas,obj,Mkapa,Kaunda,Moi and Co we need to drive away Kibakis,Mugabes,Musevenis

Point of correction to whoever said both parties rigged. Its a resounding NO NO. The media and people were very alert at polling stations and only altered at HQ office at a conference centre wher they drove all observers and media out.
Please don't be mislead by staements you get to hear from government. They comeout to defend themselves because they don't want to carry the cross. The results obtained  and filled at polling stations were not those read by chairman of ECk  and it was proved by all present and again those results were only inflated in favour of incumbent.Lets just be realistic men!
Lets not support this behaviour in our continent for the good of our future generation.We all now know elections were flawes hence defending bandwagon with ones life will not change facts on ground

I get to know the Kibaki government is after the life of one ECK senior official who confessed and said his conscience could not allow him rig for him .He has seeked  asylum in Europe.
Its Kibaki who used his presidential status to flaw elections and hence violence. people just got angry. by the way Raila never told people to go fight, the magnititude felt unfairness. Kibaki was the cause so don't get it twisted

Priscila:

We need Mandelas, obj , Mkapa,Kaunda,Moi and Co we need to drive away Kibakis,Mugabes,Musevenis

priscila, are you mad
how can you put mandela and OBJ in the same sentence

Now that its confirmed from all sources and the whole world know that riggging was done at very high level office of ECK and chairman samuel confirmed he was under siege to announce false results, If kibaki was a real gentleman then he must step down, period! Its now apparent Raila ousted him with voter and people power.
Afterall he has finished his term and presidency is never permanent anywhere thats why elections are periodic
I understand Kenyans do appreciate him reving economy but that has been tainted when he became power hungry as he is doing now.
For sure I must commend former president Moi for his peaceful transition sometimes back unlike him. there must be something fishy he knows he has done at statehouse and it will be discovered when Raila takes over thats why he rather die a president than even hear a word from Kuffor,Annan or Frazier-US SG.He lied to Kuffor he was attending a fundraising function yet he went to swear in the band wagon cabinet.What a shame?Kufffor is way way respected than him
We need Mandelas,obj,Mkapa,Kaunda,Moi and Co we need to drive away Kibakis,Mugabes,Musevenis

Point of correction to whoever said both parties rigged. Its a resounding NO NO. The media and people were very alert at polling stations and only altered at HQ office at a conference centre wher they drove all observers and media out.
Please don't be mislead by staements you get to hear from government. They comeout to defend themselves because they don't want to carry the cross. The results obtained and filled at polling stations were not those read by chairman of ECk and it was proved by all present and again those results were only inflated in favour of incumbent.Lets just be realistic men!
Lets not support this behaviour in our continent for the good of our future generation.We all now know elections were flawes hence defending bandwagon with ones life will not change facts on ground

I get to know the Kibaki government is after the life of one ECK senior official who confessed and said his conscience could not allow him rig for him .He has seeked asylum in Europe.
Its Kibaki who used his presidential status to flaw elections and hence violence. people just got angry. by the way Raila never told people to go fight, the magnititude felt unfairness. Kibaki was the cause so don't get it twisted

Obviously bought to the media frenzy. Contrary to what you think Kibaki is entitled another term according to the constitution. Raila ran a campaign full of hate and now poor people are suffering. Kibaki has been known to be a gentleman in politics but raila has pushed him too far, i guess the gloves are off. Raila calling for the destruction of the economy just tells you he does not have the needs of the Kenyan people at heart.

Mutegi:

Obviously bought to the media frenzy. Contrary to what you think Kibaki is entitled another term according to the constitution. Raila ran a campaign full of hate and now poor people are suffering. Kibaki has been known to be a gentleman in politics but raila has pushed him too far, i guess the gloves are off. Raila calling for the destruction of the economy just tells you he does not have the needs of the Kenyan people at heart.

I'm sincerely curious to understand whose interest you are particular about I want to believe that you are on a mission to launder Kibaki's already battered image across Africa. Thank God for the internet, you would not have to go far to disseminate your thoughts and we would not have to travel across Kenya (unlike you) to know the facts. In as much as i think that Raila is also another desperate African Politician, yet i feel Kibaki ought to have treated the whole case with utmost caution bearing in mind how he and some others wrestled power from the erstwhile dictator- Arap Moi.
Which constitution gave him the extension? the one written by the people or his courtiers within the confines of his presidential palace

'

m sincerely curious to understand whose interest you are particular about Huh I want to believe that you are on a mission to launder Kibaki's already battered image across Africa. Thank God for the internet, you would not have to go far to disseminate your thoughts and we would not have to travel across Kenya (unlike you) to know the facts. In as much as i think that Raila is also another desperate African Politician, yet i feel Kibaki ought to have treated the whole case with utmost caution bearing in mind how he and some others wrestled power from the erstwhile dictator- Arap Moi.
Which constitution gave him the extension? the one written by the people or his courtiers within the confines of his presidential palace Cry

Yeah Kibaki image has been battered but i still feel the truth need to be known. I lived in Kenya btw 2003-2005 when the country was going through a constitution review.Even then, i knew this guy will come to destroy the country. Raila rallied people to block it because Kibaki opposed a power PM not elected by the people. Funny thing all the other issues were rejected pegging on the issues of the controversial PM. This is what happens with leaders with no vision; the same constitution he fought against would have forced Kibaki to step down and call for another election. This stalemate would be history if Raila was not so power hungry.I guess you read the dallies and the internet; exit polls showed Kibaki was winning with even a greater margin.This is until Raila kicked of foreign observers and other party officials from his turf. This resulted in inflated returned votes tallying to over 100% from his strongholds . So Raila has no moral authority to call one a thief. He started the thing and Kibaki did a dirty job finishing. And according to the constitution Kibaki has only served one term so he is entitled to a second term. Even before the tallying was over Raila had declared himself the president. He ran a parallel electorate which did not recognize the constitution.

Mutegi!
please I say again be realistic! Yes you might be kenyanand perhaps from  the same lineage of that Kibaki but can the whole world be wrong ma dear?Of course no

A spade is a spade.
Elections were flawed at high levelsof ECK and the senior man confessed it Not in polling stations. Its  final tallying process that had a problem and only two out of 8 constintuencies cannot produce a president. Can you even explain why Raila has over 100 parliamentary seats and Kibakis loose combination of parties managed around 40 seats?
can you even explain why Kenyans voted out his cabinet including vice president? do you want to say they really wanted him to continue? Lets not be blinded in support of such leaders even if they are brothers. Why were the media and observers evicted from tallying house? because Mr Samuel announced some Kibakis inflated votes and the officer who was in charge and had signed said NO. So because of shame they were driven away by some mean police and results were announced and Kibaki sworn in in absence of diplomats and fewcrowd without kenyas flag or anthem. What are you talking about? men Open your eyes wide!

Raila is not the cause of violence even if you bring in something like constitution we don't know about.
Raila is the elected Kenya president take it or leave it. Kibaki judgement will be harsh if he wont allow justice or talks.
Another Mugabe! na wao Africa mama! He even banned live broadcasts after his swearing in . I hope he did not swear with Bible cos God will punish him. Now hehas convinced some minor opposition to join him and given one vice president
what a scenario?
Kenyans biko
you are not doing Africa any good even if Kibaki is a small god in some community.

Mutegi!
please I say again be realistic! Yes you might be kenyanand perhaps from the same lineage of that Kibaki but can the whole world be wrong ma dear?Of course no

A spade is a spade.
Elections were flawed at high levelsof ECK and the senior man confessed it Not in polling stations. Its final tallying process that had a problem and only two out of 8 constintuencies cannot produce a president. Can you even explain why Raila has over 100 parliamentary seats and Kibakis loose combination of parties managed around 40 seats?
can you even explain why Kenyans voted out his cabinet including vice president? do you want to say they really wanted him to continue? Lets not be blinded in support of such leaders even if they are brothers. Why were the media and observers evicted from tallying house? because Mr Samuel announced some Kibakis inflated votes and the officer who was in charge and had signed said NO. So because of shame they were driven away by some mean police and results were announced and Kibaki sworn in in absence of diplomats and fewcrowd without kenyas flag or anthem. What are you talking about? men Open your eyes wide!

Raila is not the cause of violence even if you bring in something like constitution we don't know about.
Raila is the elected Kenya president take it or leave it. Kibaki judgement will be harsh if he wont allow justice or talks.
Another Mugabe! na wao Africa mama! He even banned live broadcasts after his swearing in . I hope he did not swear with Bible because God will punish him. Now hehas convinced some minor opposition to join him and given one vice president
what a scenario?
Kenyans biko
you are not doing Africa any good even if Kibaki is a small god in some community.

I have no relation with Kenya; I was posted there on work related business. But obviously you don’t know anything about Kenyan elections. The ballot has three sections president, MP and councilor. You can vote MP and any president you want. MP is more direct representative and answerable to the people regardless of the party. You might hate Raila but like the MP so the vote of the president goes to Kibaki and MP to Raila’s party. You will be surprised majority of the cabinet members kicked were from Kibaki strongholds. What does that tell you? They hate the MP but still prefer the president. And Raila euphoria in his strongholds got in MP’s otherwise exploiting the opportunity to ride the wave. This first argument is only one of the few in the litany of lies the Raila has rammed through a servile, biased media. The facts speak for themselves, Mwai Kibaki won 4 out of Kenya's provinces and MPs running on pro-Kibaki platforms won more than 100 seats with victories in every single province. His party PNU had some subsidiary parties supporting him. None of his rivals even came close to the same level of support. Kibaki also won a sizeable number of votes even in the provinces where he was overall second best, reaching the 25% mark in every province but Nyanza, where he still managed to poll 17% of the vote. The ODM (Raila) candidate on the other hand posted a measly 2% and 5% in Central and Eastern provinces, and managed 25% in only six of the provinces.

This is the funny part, the ECK boss in his quick wit told Kibaki “take the certificate before another fake president takes it”.ECK boss knows the results were cooked by both sides. My problem is why condemn one side and give the other one a clean pass. What about the other over 50% that did not vote Raila. Are they not Kenyans? Should one person hold the rest of the country hostage? This risk Raila is taking and might cost him. In light of the premeditated and barbaric ODM action in the Rift Valley and across the country, it is unlikely that too many Kenyans, even those who had previously aligned themselves with the party will not be particularly drawn to it and its divisive politics any more.

@Mutegi
the objectivity of your argument is seriously in doubt.
Where do you stand? Kibaki, Raila or Justice?

Ask him Jare
Its only justice that can bring peace to that country!Defending Kibaki especially when the truth is world widely known is a big foot in our mouth.Let justice prevail hence peace

@Mutegi
Lemmie correct u, Kibaki won in 2 provinces out eight and not 4. I live in Nairobi, though things has normalised in Nairobi, other parts of the country is still in chaos. Kibaki is killing democracy in Kenya, but we wont let that happen. He lost the election, why is only Central Kenya was celebrating when the whole country was mourning? We have 43 tribes, n how can only 2 tribes are being victimised by others? The whole world knows Kibaki lost the election, they banned the media live coverage because all the media houses had the correct results! Furthermore the ECK chairman is not even aware who won the elections! I remember vividly when he waz announcing results saying the some of that returning officers decided to sit on the results and switched off their phones. He even instructed police officers to track this guys!

Kibaki is another African dictator. We voted for him in 2002 and he won, what if Moi decided not to hand over to him? What could he have done?

Ropie:

@Mutegi
Kibaki is killing democracy in Kenya, but we wont let that happen.
Kibaki is another African dictator. We voted for him in 2002 and he won, what if Moi decided not to hand over to him? What could he have done?

Many thanks for your WORDS.
BTW, Mutegi sounds like a Kenyan name contrary to his claims of not being Kenyan. Just wondering why a person would deny his nationality- hidden agenda of image laundering

Kibaki has reportedly ordered soldiers to use violence on demonstators!

babasin,
Obasanjo didnt wipe out ODI.
at the time of it happening, that is 1999, something had to be done about that place. it was an abode for the then growing militants. really i believe that Obj took a bold step at that time, so please dont liken the two situations.
However, what Kibaki has ordered is rubbish, it just reminds me of what Amaechi said in PH about arresting militants parents. all these ar stupid orders from people that are thinking emotionally rather than logically. thats my opinon

T.E.G.I are initials for the company i work for. M.U are initials of my real name. If you must know there it is.I stand for justice. As an engineer i don't solve a problem without looking for the root cause then come up with a solution. Both parties rigged so why victimize one . I'm against the shoot and kill order and thats why my argument in the beginning was Raila might have pushed Kibaki to the point of not playing fair anymore. Odinga's father made the founding father a big man by trying to grab the rub under his feet. Raila attempted coup of 1982 made MOI a big man. I think Kibaki will become one too.I find it most unfair to look merely at one set of election irregularities while turning a blind eye to the other. Such a predisposition is not only unhelpful, but declares a bias that precludes a just assessment of the elections.The media and observers seem to have focused merely on crimes committed during the final vote tallying while ignoring the fact that there were several irregularities in Raila zones.Raila is only too aware that such a re-assessment would make clear that they lost the election, and are as a result wary of appealing to the courts for such a re-tallying.Raila definitely won the media war, which is why their perception position has largely come to be declared truth. Kibaki and the government has displayed an amazing ineptitude at public relations, propaganda, and handling of the media.Al Jazeera and Reuters did report that several exit polls had indicated a Kibaki win. You can still Google the words, Kenya, Reuters, Exit Polls to see what I am talking about.This shows us that in the end the Raila rightly got what it deserved. Its rigging of the vote in Western Kenya was cancelled out by the PNU's rigging in Central Kenya and in the end what we got was a just result.Raila is very talented in the art of convincing. They talk of 'the majority' having been denied their will. What they do not seem to get is that that 'majority' is only in their heads. The truth of the matter is that the Raila enjoys the support of 43% of Kenyans. This is not what you would call a majority. 57% of Kenyans who voted against the ODM are happy with the outcome. The insistence that they are drawn only from two provinces is a defective argument. And even if that were true, dont our brothers understand the election was about one man one vote and not one province one vote?

i think this was a case of calling the west bluff and getting away with it.

it is like doing an election in nigeria. you say people voted along the ethnic lines and the benin man or calabar man won the presidency. how can that be?

the idiot knows in his heart he only got the word of US and britian via th EEc they would put pressure on kibaki. but thank God the guy called their bluff.

did you guys see people using cut class to kill other africans like them because one person want to be a president?

it was barbarick

i think this was a case of calling the west bluff and getting away with it.

it is like doing an election in nigeria. you say people voted along the ethnic lines and the benin man or calabar man won the presidency. how can that be?

the idiot knows in his heart he only got the word of US and britian via th EEc they would put pressure on kibaki. but thank God the guy called their bluff.

did you guys see people using cut class to kill other africans like them because one person want to be a president?

it was barbarick

Do you know why UK and EU are against Kibaki and his government? Because once Kibaki came to power he cut all assistance from UK and canceled all lucrative contracts UK was enjoying since Kenya gained independence. UK enjoyed this contracts at exorbitant prices on expense of other cheaper tenders. Secondly Kenya's economy does not depend on UK assistance. 95% of Kenya's budget is financed by taxes collected. What pains UK and EU is nothing else, but an African country supporting itself with no Aid. US is tricky, they still need Kenya to fight terrorism.

On Kenya's exit polls:

"The Institute for Education in Democracy (IED), a respected non-governmental organization, gave Kibaki 51.3 percent versus 39.6 for opposition leader Raila Odinga -- but the figures were based on 273 polling stations out of a total 27,000."

from: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL277107920071227?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

I believe we should beyond general statements and go into teh details before drawing conclusions.

On Kenya's exit polls:

"The Institute for Education in Democracy (IED), a respected non-governmental organization, gave Kibaki 51.3 percent versus 39.6 for opposition leader Raila Odinga -- but the figures were based on 273 polling stations out of a total 27,000."

from: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL277107920071227?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

I believe we should beyond general statements and go into the details before drawing conclusions.

Thats what i have been trying to say before blanket condemnation of Kibaki first get the facts straight. I can see why Kibaki government had to put restrictions on the Media. Remember radio Rwanda used to fuel ethnic cleansing. The first 3 days after election result Raila was using the Media to instigate his supporters to cause havoc. Media is a powerful tool if left in the wrong hands.Raila and ODM ran a cynical 'ethnic arithmetic' campaign from the start. The goal was never to empower the masses, but rather a calculated power grab, by any means neccessary.Demonising the Kikuyu, stifling political competition in ODM strongholds, stifling dissent within the party, election rigging- both at a party and national level, creating and formenting uncertainty, and most audaciously, attempting a coup by declaring themselves the election winners before all the results were out. Now the so called mass-action, to create a climate of fear and uncertainty, and blackmail the government and the people into handing over power to Raila. The truth is there is no force for democracy - i know this because he tolerates no dissent within his ranks, and opponents will usually end up fearing for their lives. Now his stronghold Nyanza is effectively a one party, one ethnicity, one man state.

And yes Kibaki won in 4 provinces out of 8. Anybody interested can check out this site

http://www.communication.go.ke/elections/province.asp

tufe:

babasin,
Obasanjo didnt wipe out ODI.
at the time of it happening, that is 1999, something had to be done about that place. it was an abode for the then growing militants. really i believe that Obj took a bold step at that time, so please don't liken the two situations.

Inasmuch as the two cases do not relate with each other i would like to clearly and categirocally state that,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

OBASANJO WIPED PUT ODI
i suggest yo go and get your facts right, that was a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of those people

Mutegi,

It seems your vision needs medication, since the graph on the Kenyan govt. site clearly shows your old man-Kibaki-only won in two provinces, not four.

Furthermore another exit poll, that claims to have been run in Kenya says:

"Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki lost his bid for a second term, exit polls from the International Republican Institute show and McClatchy reports. The polls show challenger Raila Odinga won the December 27 election by about 8%, an 11-point gap from certified results that suggested Kibaki won by three points. The IRI has been conducting exit polls in Kenya since 1992, funded by USAID, having refined them to the point of reliability"

from: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/politics_nation/2008/01/morning_thoughts_welcome_back.html


You can't hoodwink anyone to beleive that the old man won. He should take the face saving exit that ODM is offering - a transitional govt. with timeframe to conduct new presidential elections.

Mutegi,

It seems your vision needs medication, since the graph on the Kenyan govt. site clearly shows your old man-Kibaki-only won in two provinces, not four.

Furthermore another exit poll, that claims to have been run in Kenya says:

"Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki lost his bid for a second term, exit polls from the International Republican Institute show and McClatchy reports. The polls show challenger Raila Odinga won the December 27 election by about 8%, an 11-point gap from certified results that suggested Kibaki won by three points. The IRI has been conducting exit polls in Kenya since 1992, funded by USAID, having refined them to the point of reliability"

from: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/politics_nation/2008/01/morning_thoughts_welcome_back.html


You can't hoodwink anyone to beleive that the old man won. He should take the face saving exit that ODM is offering - a transitional govt. with timeframe to conduct new presidential elections.

I’m not here to convince anybody who won or who deserves the presidency more. All I wanted is for independent thinkers to analyze the situation and make an individual honest opinion based on facts. As we know media coercion or rumor mongering can distort the truth. I know I have put a serious dent on Raila’s credibility because lies tend to spread like wildfire. Amilcar Cabral once said "tell no lies, claim no small victories." It is in that spirit that I write. I can see Seguno wants Raila to be the nice guy and the winner so bad but unfortunately the stats are against him. We have been accustomed and probably programmed in Africa (in this particular case) to think the incumbent is always on wrong and therefore the bad guy ,what about in this case the guy we should fear is the challenger. As history indicates, Raila hunger for power has led to a path of destruction.


Seguno I seriously question the credibility of your source on the exit polls; exit polls are on real time and not released a week or weeks later after the elections. On the election graph pay extra attention to this provinces Nairobi,central, Eastern and North Eastern. We can’t say Kibaki won 2 provinces just because Raila said so; I have data to back my claims. Take another look, other observers can assist.

@labelle
your link has nothing to do with the Kanyan Elections?

'Seven dead' in Kenyan protests

The town of Kisumu saw at least four people killed on Wednesday


Shots leave man dead
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga says police in Nairobi have shot dead seven people on the second day of fresh protests against disputed polls.
BBC correspondents reported Kenyan riot police firing into the air to disperse protesters in several cities.

They said at least two people had been shot in Nairobi's Kibera slum and there were clashes in Kisumu in the west as police tried to clear barricades.

The European Parliament has asked the EU to cut cash to Kenya's government.

On the first day of the protests on Wednesday, at least four people were killed.

Sanctions is one way of putting pressure on Mr Kibaki to know that it is not going to be business as usual with the rest of the world

Raila Odinga


Emotions run high in Kisumu
Protests in pictures

The police have banned all public demonstrations.

Kenyan authorities say more than 600 people have died in violence since President Mwai Kibaki was declared the victor in elections held in December.

But Mr Odinga told reporters on Thursday that more than 1,000 people had died.

He has demanded a recount of the vote but also said he would stop disputing the result if it showed Mr Kibaki won.

Mr Odinga also told the BBC's Hardtalk programme that he would be prepared to take part in a "transitional coalition government" charged with organising new elections within six months.

The Commonwealth is the latest body to criticise the results.

The final report of its observer team said the polls "did not meet international standards".

'Defying instructions'

A BBC correspondent says two people are known to have been shot in Nairobi's Kibera slum while Mr Odinga and residents of the city's Mathare slum said seven people had been shot dead there.

beautiful homeland going through what its neighbours have gone through


The government has not yet commented on casualty figures but spokesman Alfred Mutua repeated the president's call for the opposition to take its protest to the courts.

However, opposition spokesman Salim Lone told Associated Press news agency: "Our rallies will continue until the government sits down with us and seeks a solution, calling off rallies would be admitting defeat."

On Thursday youths burned tyres and barricades, and police fired into the air in an attempt to disperse the groups.

In the western opposition stronghold of Kisumu, where four people were killed on Wednesday, residents of the Kondele slum set up barricades on a main road, which officers have been trying to clear.

TV footage of Wednesday's rally there showed a protester lying on the ground being kicked by a policeman. The man was found dead shortly afterwards with bullet wounds.

Kisumu's police chief Grace Kahindi told the BBC that local officers had ignored orders only to use tear gas and batons in putting down Wednesday's protests, and that they would now be more closely supervised.

The BBC's Karen Allen in Kisumu says there are unconfirmed reports that two more people were killed on Thursday morning.

UN aid appeal

The European Parliament on Thursday unanimously backed a resolution calling for the EU to suspend aid to the Kenyan government.

The EU is due to give some 400m euros (£298m) to Kenya over the next five years.


The military is being used to clear road blocks like this one in Eldoret

MEPs have no direct say over the aid budget, but the vote sends a strong signal to EU governments about the disquiet provoked by the elections and their aftermath, says the BBC's Alix Kroeger in Strasbourg.

MEP Glenys Kinnock told the BBC News website that EU money should be diverted away from the government and used in aid projects instead.

Mr Odinga said the international community should impose sanctions.

"Sanctions is one way of putting pressure on Mr Kibaki to know that it is not going to be business as usual with the rest of the world, unless and until he agrees to a peaceful resolution to this artificially instigated crisis," he said.

Meanwhile, the UN has launched a $34m (£17.3m) humanitarian appeal for Kenya, to help those affected by the violence following the disputed election.

A quarter of a million people have left their homes and 6,000 have fled to neighbouring Uganda.

Kenya is East Africa's most developed economy and its bread basket has traditionally been the Rift Valley, where maize is grown but which also suffers ethnic violence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7193230.stm

@Mutegi
now what are we talking about?
Is this ethnic cleansing or a political revolution?