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Kenyan police fire warning shots Violent clashes at Kenya protests
(about 9 hours later)
Kenyan police in the western city of Kisumu have fired shots over the heads of protesters at a rally against disputed presidential election results. Police in Kenya have fired bullets and tear gas in clashes with opposition party supporters who were defying a ban on protests over disputed elections.
Some 300 people were trying to march into the town centre when police opened fire. A BBC reporter there saw two people being carried away. Clashes broke out Nairobi, Mombasa and in western Kenya, where at least two people were killed.
In Nairobi, two women were wounded by stray bullets fired by police in a brief stand-off in the Kibera slum. Opposition leader Raila Odinga tried to reach a rally at Nairobi's Uhuru Park but was forced back by tear gas.
The rallies are part of nationwide protests called by the opposition. His Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) had called three days of protests over December elections it says were rigged.
The police are well prepared to counter any groups attempting to disrupt peace Eric KiraithePolice spokesman President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner but the results were rejected by the opposition and called into question by international observers.
The protests, planned in 30 cities and towns across the country over three days, have been banned by police, who called them "inappropriate".
They were called by the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), after President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of a disputed poll.
Parliament's new speaker, the ODM's Kenneth Marende, told the BBC that the ODM had the constitutional right to protest against Mr Kibaki's re-election.
Unrest since the announcement of the results of last month's poll has claimed more than 600 lives, driven about a quarter of a million of people from their homes and shaken relations between the country's dominant ethnic groups.
Sporadic gunfire
The BBC's Karen Allen in the western town of Kisumu, home to ODM presidential challenger Raila Odinga, said protesters had dispersed. However, sporadic gunfire could still be heard.
Our correspondent saw two people being carried away from the scene of the protest, and there are unconfirmed reports of one person being killed.
See an aerial map of Nairobi and the city centre See an aerial map of Nairobi and the city centre
In the capital, Nairobi, security forces are out in force, but so far heavy rain has prevented large numbers of demonstrators from appearing on the streets. More than 600 people have died in unrest since the polls. The violence has also driven about a quarter of a million from their homes and shaken relations between the country's dominant ethnic groups.
Opposition supporters, many of them from the city's slums, had said they would march on the politically symbolic Uhuru (Freedom) Park. The police are well prepared to counter any groups attempting to disrupt peace Eric KiraithePolice spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7192685.stm">Cat and mouse with police class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7192126.stm">In pictures: Kenya protests class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7192241.stm">Eyewitnesses: Kenya rallies
"People are anticipating chaos and many of them will go to the rallies," one resident of Nairobi's Mathare slum told the Reuters news agency. Mr Odinga was among a group of ODM leaders and activists who tried to make their way to the politically symbolic Uhuru (Freedom) Park.
Speaking to reporters at the ODM headquarters in the city, Mr Odinga said: "Nothing will stop us from mounting such rallies. We will proceed to town." The BBC's Caroline Karobia says police fired tear gas to stop their approach.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7190263.stm">Slum wary of ethnic violence class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7175694.stm">Kenya's dubious election Mr Odinga was in a car, surrounded outside by several high-ranking ODM leaders and young supporters.
Mr Odinga and other party officials then set off to Uhuru Park by car, because of the heavy rain. As the canisters landed, they all fled and were pursued by police down side streets, she says.
The police presence remains minimal compared to Tuesday, when large parts of the city's business district were sealed off as MPs were being sworn in. As the tension heightened at the entrance to Uhuru Park, anti-riot police, some riding on horses, charged at journalists and lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse them.
Many shopkeepers have boarded up their properties to try to prevent looting. class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7175694.stm">Kenya's dubious election class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7189291.stm">Battle of the blogs class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7190263.stm">Slum wary of ethnic violence
In the port city of Mombasa, there have been running battles between protesters and police and several people have been injured. Many shopkeepers in the capital boarded up their properties to try to prevent looting, and business was at a standstill.
A BBC correspondent there said opposition activists wearing white ribbons and carrying placards staged sit-ins at the main roads leading into the city. But correspondents say rain in Nairobi has stopped many people taking to the streets.
In the western opposition stronghold of Eldoret, which witnessed the burning of a church in post-poll violence, protesters also erected roadblocks in the outskirts of town. However, residents in the city's Kibera slum have told the BBC that three people were being treated for gunshot wounds.
Burnt-out buildings Police denied firing at crowds in the area.
Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said the rallies would be unlawful until the security situation across the country returned to normal. Mr Odinga said: "The massive deployment of security forces will not intimidate the people of Kenya from demanding their right, it is an indication that the government is terrified of its own people."
Running battles
The BBC's Karen Allen in the western town of Kisumu, home to ODM presidential challenger Mr Odinga, says some 300 people were trying to march into the town centre when police opened fire.
Our correspondent says two bodies were carried away from the scene of the protest.
In the port city of Mombasa, there have also been running battles between protesters and police and several people have been injured.
Protesters carried a coffin to symbolise the "death of democracy"Protesters carried a coffin to symbolise the "death of democracy"
"The constitution allows groups to hold the protests but the police are well prepared to counter any groups attempting to disrupt peace," he told the BBC. A BBC correspondent there said opposition activists wearing white ribbons and carrying placards staged sit-ins at the main roads leading into the city.
Mr Kibaki was re-elected on 27 December, but Mr Odinga says the poll was rigged. Election observers have also complained of irregularities in the presidential vote count. In the western opposition stronghold of Eldoret, which witnessed the burning of a church in post-poll violence, protesters also erected roadblocks on the outskirts of town.
Attempts at outside mediation between Mr Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki have failed with the latest, a bid by Kofi Annan, postponed when the former United Nations chief fell ill. As the protests began, Mr Odinga said through "peaceful people power" and international mediation, his party would ensure that the political stalemate in the country was resolved.
Attempts at outside mediation between Mr Odinga and President Kibaki have failed with the latest, a bid by Kofi Annan, postponed when the former United Nations chief fell ill.
At Tuesday's inauguration of the new parliament, Kenya's two bitter rivals studiously ignored each other, correspondents say.At Tuesday's inauguration of the new parliament, Kenya's two bitter rivals studiously ignored each other, correspondents say.
The new speaker said the opposition's dominance of parliament would make it difficult for President Mwai Kibaki's PNU party to impose itself, and that it might be forced into forming a coalition. Parliament's new speaker, the ODM's Kenneth Marende, told the BBC that the ODM had the constitutional right to protest against Mr Kibaki's re-election.
He said the opposition's dominance of parliament would make it difficult for President Kibaki's PNU party to impose itself, and that it might be forced into forming a coalition.
Kenya's Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula told Reuters the ODM should keep its battle within parliament.
"We expect the strong opposition we have now in parliament to provide critical, effective oversight of the government, to audit government in every way," he said.
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