Rowdy youths Thursday engaged police in running battles in Kibera slums when they protested over the delay in the naming of a grand coalition cabinet.

The youth who engaged police in running battles for the better part of the day barricaded several roads and lit bonfires in Olympic area before anti-riots police dispersed them.

It took the intervention of the local provincial administration to calm down the rioters who were demanding an immediate solution to the political stalemate.

Property of unknown value was destroyed during the riots.

The riots came as opposition leader Raila Odinga suspended talks meant to bring about a new cabinet.

Odinga failed to show up for a meeting with President Mwai Kibaki Monday, saying Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) was not willing to share power, despite an accord brokered in February that would create a coalition government between their parties.

On Tuesday, Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) said it would suspend all talks until PNU agrees to a 50-50 split of ministries.

"We regret that PNU's refusal to equally share power with ODM ... now threatens the future stability of this country and that of the grand coalition," said ODM party secretary Anyang Nyong'o.

However President Mwai Kibaki Monday issued a statement saying he has been ready to name the cabinet all along and asked the ODM not to issue new pre-conditions and ultimatums which are clearly not envisaged by the National Accord and Reconciliation Act.