Kenya: Fighting Intensifies After MP’s killing


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Naivasha, usually one of the must see sights for tourists in Kenya, has been thrown into days of violent ethnic confrontations. There have been renewed violent clashes in the rift valley towns of Naivasha and Kibera among others, following the shooting of opposition Member of Parliament Mr. Mugabe Were, early Tuesday.

Naivasha, usually one of the must see sights for tourists in Kenya, has been thrown into days of violent ethnic confrontations. There have been renewed violent clashes in the rift valley towns of Naivasha and Kibera among others, following the shooting of opposition Member of Parliament Mr. Mugabe Were, early Tuesday.

Police and Military Intervention

Police had been unable to control the heavy mob, believed to number between six hundred and one thousand, following the shooting and killing of Mr. Mugabe Were, the first politician to have died amid the unrest following the 27 December elections.

Military helicopters opened fire to disperse crowds, not only targetting mobs but also to control parts of town where looters have been pillaging private property. The Kenyan Police confirmed that the machine guns were loaded with rubber bullets.

Eye Witness

The MP, Mr. Mugabe Were, was gunned down in front of his house just after midnight as he drove up to his house. Neighbours who rushed to the scene said that they heard a burst of gunfire before a car sped off the scene, confirming the statement the defunct MP’s security guard made to the police and read by Mr. Kiraithe, the police spokesman. “…the watchman said he was opening the gate to let in the MP when he saw the legislator being pulled out of his car before he was shot twice in the head and the assailants fled in a white saloon car…”, Pana.

Political Assassination or not ?

The ODM spokesman, Tony Gachoka said: “The curent situation makes one suspicious. All fingers will point at the government, and the government will have to show it is not involved.” The police said that while the motive of the murder had not yet been established, they were not ruling out “political motives” and that the police would investigate a possible link to political assassination.

Transitional Gov’t

Whilst condemning the violent clashes which are turning into serious ethnic conflicts, civil organisations have called for a transitional government to end the one month old mayhem. “President Kibaki cannot carry on as if nothing is happing when the country is caving in from all corners. He should not be permitted to sacrifice the entire country for the sake of retaining power…” Said the director of Youth Agenda during a meeting that assembled caucuses of 60 civil society organisations.

Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary, in his efforts to mediate a solution between the two sides has set Tuesday for the naming of negotiators.

Photo: AFP

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