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Journalism of Courage
A top official with Kenya’s main opposition party said a rally on Thursday had been canceled and called on supporters to go home after riot police fired tear gas and water cannons to beat back crowds of protesters.
“We are a peaceful people who do not want violence,” said William Ruto, a top official with presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s party. “That is why we are peacefully dispersing now.”
Odinga had called the march to protest President Mwai Kibaki’s re-election in the December 27 vote, insisting the poll was a sham. The political dispute has degenerated into ethnic violence nationwide pitting Kibaki’s influential Kikuyus against Odinga’s Luos and other tribes. Odinga had said the rally was meant to be peaceful, but the government banned the march. Ruto said another rally was planned for Tuesday.
Police fired tear gas and water cannons on Thursday to push back a crowd of several hundred people from the Kibera slum holding branches and white flags symbolizing peace. Some burned an effigy of Kibaki and waved placards denouncing him as the devil.
“Without Raila there will be no peace,” said one of the protesters, 22-year-old Edward Muli.Kenya’s main newspapers ran front-page banners urging people to “save our beloved country.”
