Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:06:54 -0800 (PST)


Govt imposes curfew in Nakuru

Written By:John Muoki/Rose kamau , Posted: Fri, Jan 25, 2008

The government has imposed a curfew within Nakuru town and its environs with immediate effect.

The curfew to be observed between 7 pm and 6 am comes in the wake of post election violence that has left a number of people dead.

Announcing the curfew, Rift Valley PC, Hassan Noor Hassan said the decision was made to forestall any further turmoil as witnessed in the town early Friday morning.

Hassan asked the residents of the town especially those living in Shabab, Kaptembwa, Free Area, Ponda Mali and Rhoda estates to ensure they are indoors before the prescribed time so as to avoid running into trouble with the police.

The PC urged the residents to remain calm, saying enough security officers have been deployed to combat the recent upsurge of violence in the area.

He also warned that anyone found carrying an offensive weapon will be arrested and arraigned in a court.

Hassan said the curfew would remain in force until calm is restored.

Media reports indicate that at least 8 people have been killed while thousands have been forced from their homes.

The violence, and a denial by opposition leader Raila Odinga that he would agree to serve as prime minister under President Mwai Kibaki, followed the first meeting between the two since a disputed December 27 election triggered a political crisis.

"Nakuru town has been shut down ... My staff have carried three dead bodies and hundreds are injured in hospital," Kenya Red Cross head Abbas Gullet said.

Paramilitary police were deployed on the outskirts of Nakuru, where houses burned and the sound of gunshots filled the air. Aerial pictures of surrounding villages showed smoke rising from a number of torched homesteads.

About 700 people have died in violence since Kibaki was re-elected after polls that Odinga and his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) say were rigged.

The turmoil has also made 250,000 people homeless and damaged one of Africa's most promising economies.

Hopes for a solution had grown on Thursday after former U.N. boss Kofi Annan brought Odinga and Kibaki together for their first discussions on how to end the standoff.

But their handshake was quickly followed by new accusations, with the opposition saying Kibaki erred by referring to himself as the country's "duly-elected" leader.

On Friday, Odinga urged the African Union to avoid endorsing Kibaki's re-election at a planned summit in Ethiopia.

In an interview with Reuters, he ruled out taking a new post of prime minister in Kibaki's government -- a solution some media and diplomats have touted. He said the only three acceptable options would be Kibaki's resignation, a vote re-run, or power-sharing followed by a new election.

He said he was willing to meet Kibaki again.

The Kibaki-Raila meeting was applauded around the world, including in statements from the European Union and U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama.

- Sent by Oto