Call for protests in Kenya

KENYA: Kenya's opposition has called for three days of nationwide protests next week after mediation failed and the country'…

KENYA:Kenya's opposition has called for three days of nationwide protests next week after mediation failed and the country's post-election crisis worsened.

Wangui Kanina Alistair Thomson in NairobiRaila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) also called yesterday for international sanctions against President Mwai Kibaki, who was re-elected in December, saying world leaders would be irresponsible to trust him with "a single cent".

"We are asking our countrymen and women with whom we feel such great sadness and solidarity to join us in demonstrations countrywide on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week," ODM secretary general Anyang' Nyong'o said.

Mr Odinga's supporters say Mr Kibaki stole the vote, while Mr Nyong'o said Kenyans had every right to protest peacefully.

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ODM said demonstrations would be held in nearly 30 places around Kenya, and that it had asked police to provide security for a mass rally on Wednesday in central Nairobi.

Previous protests have triggered riots between Mr Odinga's supporters and the security forces, adding to a death toll of about 500 since the election.

This week's failure by African Union head and Ghanaian president John Kufuor to broker a deal has dismayed Kenyans. Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan will now lead a group of Africans in a new push to resolve the crisis. -