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| Odinga denies 'ethnic cleansing' | Odinga denies 'ethnic cleansing' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Kenya's opposition leader says his supporters have not engaged in ethnic cleansing and blamed government forces for targeting certain communities. | Kenya's opposition leader says his supporters have not engaged in ethnic cleansing and blamed government forces for targeting certain communities. |
| Raila Odinga was responding to accusations by Justice Minister Martha Karua that his group had planned to carry out systematic ethnic cleansing. | Raila Odinga was responding to accusations by Justice Minister Martha Karua that his group had planned to carry out systematic ethnic cleansing. |
| Mr Odinga told the BBC his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) had done all it could to prevent such violence. | Mr Odinga told the BBC his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) had done all it could to prevent such violence. |
| He was speaking on the first of three days of protests over a disputed poll. | He was speaking on the first of three days of protests over a disputed poll. |
| Police fired live rounds and tear gas in clashes with opposition party supporters who were defying a protest ban. | Police fired live rounds and tear gas in clashes with opposition party supporters who were defying a protest ban. |
| Clashes broke out Nairobi, Mombasa and in western Kenya, where at least two people were killed. | Clashes broke out Nairobi, Mombasa and in western Kenya, where at least two people were killed. |
| 'Outrageous' | 'Outrageous' |
| President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the 27 December poll, but the results were rejected by the opposition and called into question by international observers. | President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the 27 December poll, but the results were rejected by the opposition and called into question by international observers. |
| More than 600 people have died in unrest since, and another quarter of a million have been driven from their homes. | More than 600 people have died in unrest since, and another quarter of a million have been driven from their homes. |
| The police are well prepared to counter any groups attempting to disrupt peace Eric Kiraithe,police spokesman Eyewitnesses: Kenya ralliesCat and mouse with policeIn pictures: Kenya protests | |
| In an interview last week with the BBC's HARDtalk programme, Ms Karua said the government had suspected that Mr Odinga's ODM party was "planning mayhem if they lost". | |
| But she said they had not expected "the magnitude [of the violence] and for it to be ethnic cleansing". | |
| Asked whether she was accusing the ODM leadership of "calculatedly planned ethnic cleansing", she answered: "Absolutely yes, that's what I'm saying categorically." | |
| In his interview on Wednesday, also with the BBC's HARDtalk, Mr Odinga called these allegations "outrageous". | |
| "She knows where the truth lies - that all that we are having is as a result of the order that the government has given to the police: to shoot particularly members of certain ethnic communities. | "She knows where the truth lies - that all that we are having is as a result of the order that the government has given to the police: to shoot particularly members of certain ethnic communities. |
| "So what we have been seeing is basically a response by members of the public to the police action, which has resulted in the killing of very many people who are members of other communities than the one that she comes from," Mr Odinga said. | |
| Fresh violence | Fresh violence |
| Mr Odinga said his party had condemned one of the most notorious incidents - the torching of a church in the western town of Eldoret on 1 January - but he said the attack on the church had been an attempt to avenge earlier attacks. | Mr Odinga said his party had condemned one of the most notorious incidents - the torching of a church in the western town of Eldoret on 1 January - but he said the attack on the church had been an attempt to avenge earlier attacks. |
| See an aerial map of Nairobi and the city centre | |
| Pressed on whether the ODM leadership could have done more to prevent inter-ethnic violence, he said: "No, we could not have done more than we've done ourselves." | Pressed on whether the ODM leadership could have done more to prevent inter-ethnic violence, he said: "No, we could not have done more than we've done ourselves." |
| Mr Odinga was himself caught up in clashes at the protests on Wednesday, when he tried to reach a rally at Nairobi's Uhuru Park but was forced back by tear gas. | Mr Odinga was himself caught up in clashes at the protests on Wednesday, when he tried to reach a rally at Nairobi's Uhuru Park but was forced back by tear gas. |
| Kenya's dubious electionBattle of the blogsSlum wary of ethnic violence | Kenya's dubious electionBattle of the blogsSlum wary of ethnic violence |
| As the tension heightened at the entrance to the park, anti-riot police, some riding on horses, charged at journalists and lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse them. | |
| Residents in the city's Kibera slum told the BBC three people were being treated for gunshot wounds. | Residents in the city's Kibera slum told the BBC three people were being treated for gunshot wounds. |
| Police denied firing at crowds in the area. | Police denied firing at crowds in the area. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 'People power' | |
| Meanwhile, in Mr Odinga's hometown of Kisumu, the BBC's Karen Allen says some 300 people were trying to march into the town centre when police opened fire. | |
| Protesters carried a coffin to symbolise the "death of democracy" | Protesters carried a coffin to symbolise the "death of democracy" |
| Our correspondent says two bodies were carried away from the scene of the protest. | 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. | In the port city of Mombasa, there have also been running battles between protesters and police and several people have been injured. |
| In Eldoret protesters erected roadblocks on the outskirts of town. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
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| Have you witnessed any of the incidents mentioned in this news story? If you would be willing to speak to the BBC News website about your experiences please use the postform below to send us your details. | Have you witnessed any of the incidents mentioned in this news story? If you would be willing to speak to the BBC News website about your experiences please use the postform below to send us your details. |