Rally call from Kenya opposition
Kenyan opposition party says it will resume protests after talks broke down with government
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Friday, 11, Jan 2008 11:13
The main opposition party in Kenya is calling on its supporters to resume protests over last month's disputed presidential elections.
A spokesman for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) said the party would shortly "declare the resumption of mass protest against illegal presidential results".
The development comes after African Union chairman John Kufuor failed to mediate an agreement between president Mwai Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Protests had initially been suspended after the AU pledged to resolve the row and Mr Kibaki hinted at the prospect of a unity government, but the political situation has now taken a turn for the worse.
Mr Odinga claims Mr Kibaki's re-election in the December 27th polls was illegal.
Unrest following the election results has seen more than 500 people killed and at least 225,000 displaced.
Opposition protests have so far been prevented by police firing live ammunition into the air, while tear gas and water cannons have been deployed.
But ODM spokesman Salim Lone insisted that anti-government protests in the opposition strongholds of Nairobi and western Kenya, would go ahead.
"We have recognised that the government is not interested in any mediated resolution to the crisis in our country," he told the AFP news agency.
"We therefore resume with immediate effect our nationwide mass action and rallies that we had postponed."
Yesterday the Federation of Tour Operators suspended all flights to Kenya until January 14th.