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Riots and Violence Grip Nairobi


The Nation (Nairobi)


NEWS
3 January 2008
Posted to the web 3 January 2008
Nairobi

Police are fighting running battles with chanting rioters pushing to access
Nairobi's Uhuru Park for a rally called by the Orange Democratic Movement.

A church has been torched in Kibera while a petrol station and five cars have
been set ablaze along the city's Juja road. Key highways into the central
business district remain more or less closed as police battle protestors.



Uhuru Park, the venue of the rally called by ODM's Raila Odinga, was cordoned
off by hundreds of paramilitary policemen at the crack of dawn.

Virtually no business is taking place in the city as offices and premises that
had opened earlier have now closed.

Scores of youths who attempted to get into the city from Kibera slums through
Ngong road and Mbagathi Way were repulsed. A similar group was blocked along
Thika road and Waiyaki Way. A stand-off between police and protestors has been
reported along Jogoo road while on Mombasa road motorists are being blocked by
police from driving into the city.

ODM leaders have finished a meeting with South Africa's Bishop Desmond Tutu and
are reported to be heading for the venue of the rally.

Bishop Tutu is in Kenya in help arbitrate between President Kibaki and Mr
Odinga's teams.


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