More than 120 killed as Poll Violence Sweeps Kenya

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NAIROBI (AFP) — An eruption of fresh violence triggered by Kenya's disputed presidential ballot left more than 100 dead Monday, after defeated opposition candidate Raila Odinga rejected Mwai Kibaki's re-election.

Further clashes were feared as Odinga planned to hold his own alternative inauguration at a mass rally later Monday, a day after Kibaki was officially sworn in for a second term despite widespread allegations of vote-rigging.

At least 64 people were killed overnight in western Kenya in fresh outbreaks of tribal violence and clashes between police, looters and opposition activists.

Separate clashes in the capital Nairobi claimed a further 40 lives, police said.

At least 124 people have now been killed since Thursday's elections, which have left one of Africa's more stable democracies teetering on the brink of turmoil.

The government has enforced a ban on live television broadcasts related to the election in what it says is an effort to contain the violence.

"We know there are skirmishes in many parts of the country. We are fully cracking down and fully responding to every situation," police spokesman Eric Kiraithe told AFP.

A total of 46 bodies were brought to the morgue in Kisumu, Kenya's third largest city and an Odinga stronghold, a mortuary attendant told AFP.

"These bodies were brought here overnight by police officers," he said, adding that 20 of them had multiple bullet wounds.

Local police chief Grace Kaindi declined to comment on the number of dead, but acknowledged that police had opened fire on "looters" during the night.

Reporters were also shown seven other bodies in Kisumu's main hospital waiting to be transferred to the morgue.

Police imposed a day-time curfew in the city, with an order to shoot violators.

"We are going to deal with them (rioters) ruthlessly," said Michael Baraza, a top police commander in the region.

Another seven people were killed in clashes between rival political supporters in the town of Nakuru, and four in a village near Kapsabet, police said.

According to police, hundreds of houses have already been torched in the western Rift Valley province and fresh fighting broke out Monday in Kibera, Nairobi's largest slum.

Opposition supporters there were trying to march towards the city centre where Odinga, a fiery 62-year-old former political prisoner, planned to hold an alternative swearing-in ceremony presenting him to the nation as "the People's President".

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