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Kenyan Police Block Protesters

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The Associated Press

Published: January 4, 2008

NAIROBI, Kenya - Police used tear gas, water cannons and batons Thursday to block thousands of people from protesting Kenya's disputed election amid a political deadlock between the president and his chief rival.

Kenya's attorney general said there should be an independent probe of the election results because of the perception the Dec. 27 vote was rigged. The United States and Europe pushed for reconciliation, saying a "made-in-Kenya solution" was needed to end violence that had killed about 300 people since President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner.

As the diplomats discussed unity, Kenya's slums burned.

"War is happening here," said 45-year-old Edwin Mukathia, who was among thousands who poured out of Nairobi's slums to heed opposition candidate Raila Odinga's call for a million-man march in the city's Uhuru Park.

But Mukathia and the others were kept at bay by riot police. The opposition canceled the march but said they would hold it today.

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