Skip to:
  Content
  Site Navigation
  Footer
  Site Search
  Site Map
  News Network Navigation

NEWS.com.au Network
  NEWS.com.au |
  FOX SPORTS |
  CLASSIFIEDS |
  MOBILE

Search For:
Network Highlights:

The Australian

February 01, 2008 05:07am AEDT

# Two die as police battle demonstrators

- Font Size: Decrease Increase
- Print Page: Print

From correspondents in Eldoret | February 01, 2008

TWO people were killed overnight during demonstrations in the western Kenyan town of Eldoret, after violence flared once again following the death of an opposition lawmaker, police said.

"Two people were killed in Eldoret in the demonstrations but police are trying to establish what happened," a police commander said, after earlier reporting six injured in battles with demonstrators.

A mortuary attendant said they had received three bodies, including that of the slain lawmaker and a policewoman who was shot with him.

"We have received three bodies: of the MP, the policewoman and of a rioter who was killed by a bullet," he said.

It was unclear if the third body was one of the dead reported by police.

Police said David Kimutai Too from opposition leader Raila Odinga's opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) was killed by a traffic policeman, describing the incident as a crime of passion unrelated to the recent political violence.

But violent clashes soon erupted in the western town and nearby Kericho and Kisumu, with police firing tear gas on protesters who were blocking roads and lighting fires.

Police moved in earlier to disperse demonstrators who had erected illegal checkpoints along the main road to the capital Nairobi.

Protesters also razed part of Nyagacho slums on the outskirts of western town of Kericho, near the hometown of the slain lawmaker.

"The situation here is gloomy," said one Kericho resident.

"There is smoke all over the town, shops have been ordered closed and people told to go home and stay indoors. Schools have been closed. There is sporadic shooting everywhere and people are scared," the resident said.

Police also fired tear gas canisters to disperse hundreds of protectors in the ODM stronghold of Kisumu.

Mr Odinga said the killing of the MP was part of a plot to slash the number of opposition lawmakers in parliament, but police commissioner Major Mohamed Hussein Ali said the motive did not appear to be political.

"We are urging people to remain calm and leaders should avoid speculating on the cause of the MP's death. Already the culprit has been arrested and will be arraigned in court tomorrow," Major Ali said.

Nearly 1000 people have been killed in rioting and tribal fighting that have gripped the east African nation since President Mwai Kibaki was re-elected after disputed December 27 polls. Mr Odinga accuses Mr Kibaki of stealing his way to victory.

## Story Tools

- Share This Article
- Email To A Friend

### Share This Article

From here you can use the Social Web links to save Two die as police battle demonstrators to a social bookmarking site.

- del.icio.us
- Digg it
- Furl
- Netscape
- Yahoo MyWeb
- StumbleUpon
- Google
- Technorati
- BlinkList
- Newsvine
- ma.gnolia
- reddit
- Windows Live
- Tailrank
- Slashdot

### Email To A Friend

* Required fields

- Recipient's Name:* Required
- Recipient's Email:* Required

- Your Name:* Required
- Your Email:* Required

- Email Format:*
  HTML Text Only

- Your Comments:* Required

Information provided on this page will not be used for any other purpose than to notify the recipient of the article you have chosen.

## Latest World Breaking News

- Wellington: Scientists create 'no tears' onions
- Mauritania: Five wounded in Israeli embassy attack
- Indonesia: Jakarta airport closed
- Christchurch: Father's 'fake suicide' unravels
- Los Angeles: Spears 'classified as gravely disabled'
- Mauritania: Gunmen open fire on Israeli embassy

## Video More Video

## Your Vote

### The Australian's Online Poll

Should Australia apologise to the Stolen Generation?

## Special Report

### Ishmael Beah book controversy

The real story behind former Sierra Leone child solder Ishmael Beah, author of the best-selling book 'A Long Way Gone'.

## Advertisement

- ### Noosa Executive Retreats

  work from our luxurious homes from $87.50 per person

- ### Get a higher return

  Earn a high 7.88% p.a.^ on a 3 month Term Deposit with HSBC Premier.

- ### The truth about Centro

  Why Australia's top analysts didn't warn of disaster.

- ### Overflowing with benefits

  Experience life the Platinum Way With American Express Platinum.

- ### Low Fee and $50 credit

  Get a Credit Card with a credit bonus.

## RSS Feeds

- Opinion
- The Nation
- Business
- Sport
- Media
- Travel
- Higher Ed
- Defence
- The Arts
- Aviation
- Property
- Editor's Choice

## In The Australian Today

## Business

### Margin lenders cut exposure to Allco

Susan Murdoch, Dow Jones Newswires COMMSEC, Australia's largest margin lender, has removed Allco Finance from its approved list.

- Stocks close sharply higher
- Promina savings offset storms: Suncorp

## Australian IT

### Goodbye MOTO?

MOTOROLA is studying a possible breakup of the company in an effort "to recapture global market leadership" in the mobile phone market.

- India: Cable break downs web services
- Broker: Software cited in Tricom failure

## Media

### Google tumbles as earnings disappoint

Kathy Shwiff, Dow Jones Newswires SHARES of online advertising and search giant Google tumble 7 per cent after fourth-quarter profits missed market expectations.

- AOL portal hopes to be third time lucky
- Judge denies Black's quest for freedom

## Higher Education

### Ballarat staff can opt out of AWAs

Milanda Rout THE University of Ballarat is to allow staff who signed Australian Workplace Agreements to opt out of the contracts.

- Globalisation expert to head US study c
- Funds for job training cut back despite

## Also in The Australian

## The World

### Bali bomber Dulmatin slips net again

Staff reporters and agencies FUGITIVE Bali bomb mastermind Dulmatin has slipped the net yet again after a failed raid in The Philippines.

- Top al-Qa'ida leader killed
- Clinton, Obama star in Hollywood

## The Nation

### Let's consult on sorry wording: Nelson

Sarah Elks BRENDAN Nelson has not ruled out backing an apology to the Stolen Generations but all Australians should be consulted on the wording.

- Manhunt fails to find cop's attacker
- Numeracy down for remote students

## Opinion

### Stop bagging Hillary

Michael Costello WHY is the US and international press so much harder on the Clintons than Barack Obama?

- Europe climate threat is hot air
- Exclusionary test is unworthy of us

## Lifestyle

### A step in the right direction

Edwina McCann I AM very pleased to report that we are no longer living in the land of no shoes.

- Bazaar covers birthday celebration in t
- Masters in art of elegance