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Kenyan police block fresh rally Kenyan police block fresh rally
(about 2 hours later)
Thousands of police in Kenya have deployed around the capital, Nairobi, to prevent an opposition rally.Thousands of police in Kenya have deployed around the capital, Nairobi, to prevent an opposition rally.
Opposition parties say they intend to press ahead with protest plans, after police blocked their rally on Thursday.Opposition parties say they intend to press ahead with protest plans, after police blocked their rally on Thursday.
But the BBC's Adam Mynott, reporting from an opposition slum area, says enthusiasm for the protest has waned. But there are no big crowds gathering, and correspondents say there is little enthusiasm for further demonstrations.
The opposition says the government rigged last week's presidential election. More than 300 people have been killed in post-election violence. The opposition contends that the government rigged last week's presidential poll. More than 300 people died in post-election violence.
Another 70,000 have been displaced.Another 70,000 have been displaced.
See an aerial map of Nairobi and the city centre See an aerial map of Nairobi and the city centre
The disputed winner, Mwai Kibaki, has said he is ready to talk to the opposition, once the unrest has ended. Several hundred youths have gathered outside the offices of defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga's ODM party in Nairobi, saying they intend to press ahead with their planned protest.
However, he warned that "those who continue to violate the law will face its full force", and made it clear that he thought that the opposition was to blame for the violence.
This is a country that has been held up as a model of stability. This picture has been shattered Desmond TutuSouth African Archbishop Back to the tribalism debateTurmoil fuels Luo grievancesDiplomacy faltersThis is a country that has been held up as a model of stability. This picture has been shattered Desmond TutuSouth African Archbishop Back to the tribalism debateTurmoil fuels Luo grievancesDiplomacy falters
"I am deeply disturbed by the senseless violence instigated by some leaders in pursuit of their personal political agenda," he said. But other opposition supporters have been telling the BBC they do not want to be beaten up by police.
Meanwhile, Kenyan Attorney General Amos Wako has called for an independent investigation into the 27 December poll result. On Thursday security forces blocked a banned mass rally in Nairobi, using tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds.
Mr Wako said on national television that "a proper tally of the valid certificates returned and confirmed should be undertaken immediately". Thousands of people had tried to gather in the city's Uhuru (Freedom) Park, many of them pouring out of Kibera slum and other shanty towns just after dawn.
But defeated opposition candidate Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement rejected the call. It would be like taking sheep to a court presided over by a hyena ODM leader William Ruto
Diplomatic activity is continuing in an attempt to resolve the crisis. Police are again on patrol around Uhuru Park - though the BBC's Grant Ferrett says fewer than on Thursday. He says the atmosphere is much calmer.
The United States' top diplomat on Africa, Jendayi Frazer, is due to arrive in Kenya, in what US officials say will be attempt to persuade rival political leaders to talk. Away from the violence, there is intense diplomatic and political activity.
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has already flown in to try to mediate. Opposition spokesmen have been explaining why they rejected the government's offer of talks once violence had ended.
The Nobel laureate was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: "This is a country that has been held up as a model of stability. This picture has been shattered." Senior ODM leader William Ruto told the BBC Kenya was in a stalemate because Mr Kibaki had turned down a proposal for African Union mediation by the Ghanaian president John Kufuor.
Odinga visited the injured in a Nairobi hospital "He should find the shortest route to the negotiating table," he said.
But plans for African Union leader John Kufuor to travel to Kenya to spearhead mediation efforts have not come to fruition. He also said the opposition had rejected a call by the attorney-general for an independent inquiry into the poll result "because the courts are full of people Mwai Kibaki has personally employed".
On Thursday, opposition supporters were forced to postpone a banned mass rally in Nairobi after they clashed with police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. "It would be like taking sheep to a court presided over by a hyena," Mt Ruto added.
Thousands of people had tried to gather in the city's Uhuru (Freedom) Park, many of them pouring out of Kibera slum and other shanty towns just after dawn, but were prevented from reaching the centre of Nairobi by a massive security presence. But government spokesman Alfred Mutua said Mr Kibaki had only appointed 10% of judges.
He told the BBC: "The president has said he wants peace. This morning he is holding a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu (of South Africa).
Mr Odinga visited the injured in a Nairobi hospital
"He has said he wants to talk to everybody, but he's not going to bow down to people who are trying to bring anarchy to a country."
Before the meeting, Bishop Tutu was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: "This is a country that has been held up as a model of stability. This picture has been shattered."
The United States' top diplomat on Africa, Jendayi Frazer, is also due to arrive in Kenya, in what US officials say will be attempt to persuade rival political leaders to talk.
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