Post Election 2007 Violence in Kenya: New Kenya clashes amidst negotiations

President Mwai Kibaki (centre) shook hands with opposition leader Raila Odinga after a meeting organised by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan (left). Photograph: Karel Pinsloo/AP

At least seven people have been killed in clashes in Nakuru, a town in Kenya's volatile Rift Valley, witnesses said today. The killings come despite a meeting between government and opposition leaders.

In the latest violence prompted by last month's disputed presidential election, ethnic Kikuyu supporters of the president, Mwai Kibaki, fought with ethnic Luo and Kalenjin groups, who back the opposition leader, Raila Odinga.

"We can no longer stand back and watch as our brothers are killed in Eldoret while the Luos and Kalenjins have fun in Nakuru," bus conductor Dennis Kariuki told Reuters, referring to past killings of Kikuyus around Eldoret town, also in the Rift Valley.

"We have vowed that for every Kikuyu killed in Eldoret, we shall kill two Kalenjins who are living in Nakuru town."

At least 700 people have died and 250,000 displaced in the violence following the contentious re-election of Kibaki amid opposition charges that the vote was rigged.

According to independent observers, extensive tampering in the ballot made it impossible to determine who won the vote.

The government and opposition have blamed each other for the ensuing violence but Human Rights Watch, based in New York, has accused opposition party officials and local elders of organising violence in the Rift Valley.

The rights group warned that the attacks, which have been targeting mostly Kikuyu and Kisii people in and around Eldoret, would continue until the government and opposition act to stop the violence.

"Opposition leaders are right to challenge Kenya's rigged presidential poll, but they can't use it as an excuse for targeting ethnic groups," said Georgette Gagnon, acting Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

"We have evidence that [the opposition Orange Democratic Movement] politicians and local leaders actively fomented some post-election violence, and the authorities should investigate and make sure it stops now."

Odinga, meanwhile, has ruled out taking the new post of prime minister in Kibaki's government as a solution to the crisis.

"I never said I was considering taking up a position of prime minister under Kibaki," Odinga told Reuters.

Odinga said the only three acceptable options would be Kibaki's resignation, a re-run of the vote, or power sharing leading to constitutional reform then a new election.

The 63-year-old leader of the ODM met Kibaki for the first time in the crisis - thanks to the mediation of the former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, yesterday.

But Odinga said he was offended by Kibaki's comments afterwards that he was Kenya's "duly-elected" president.

"Those remarks were unfortunate, calling himself duly-elected and sworn-in president. That is the bone of contention. We want negotiations with integrity," he said.

Asked if he would, however, meet Kibaki again, Odinga replied: "Yes, sure. But I would ask him to desist from making those kind of embarrassing remarks, which will definitely undermine the process of mediation."