Top politicians and police officers are among those to be questioned by a special team formed yesterday to investigate last weekend's Kisumu riots.

Police commissioner Mohamed Hussein Ali appointed the team of four senior officers in the wake of mounting criticism of the police for the way they handled the riots.

"The board of inquiry has powers to summon and interrogate anyone suspected to have incited the violence or caused the deaths of four people," the police chief said.

"The public, security officers and any other persons the board deems necessary will be interviewed and the findings made available after completing the inquiry," said Maj-Gen Ali in a statement signed by police spokesman Jasper Ombati.

The board is chaired by deputy CID director Peter Kavila and has three other senior police officers as members, all of the rank of senior assistant commissioner, an office equivalent to a provincial CID chief.

They are Ms Pauline Adhiambo (based at the complaints section at the police headquarters, Nairobi), Mr Albert Ombaba (deputy provincial police chief, Western) and Mr Stanley Kinuthia (in charge of inspections section at the CID headquarters in the city). Mr Kinuthia is to serve as secretary.

The team started work in Kisumu yesterday and is based at the Nyanza provincial police headquarters.

Those with information on the violence can visit headquarters or call the team at telephone number (057)2022727.

Maj-Gen Ali said Mr Kavila's team would investigate and make recommendations on the riots, which erupted on Saturday when Information minister Raphael Tuju hosted a Yes campaign rally in the town.

What started as a mere protest by youths opposed to Mr Tuju's rally ended tragically with the death of four people.

Three people were shot dead on the same day - among them 14-year-old schoolboy Paul Limera - while a fourth victim died the following day after being admitted to Nyanza provincial hospital with gunshot wounds.

At least 30 other people were left nursing gunshot wounds and property of an unknown value was damaged.

Mr Tuju's rally was attended by Cabinet colleagues Martha Karua (Water), Mr Amos Kimunya (Lands and Housing) and Mr Joseph Munyao (Livestock and Fisheries Development), among other supporters.

The killings drew sharp criticism from leaders, residents, relatives and human rights groups.

Fifty-five people were charged on Monday in connection with rioting during the referendum campaigns in Kisumu and Kakamega.

Police took 51 of them to court - including seven students from the local polytechnic and four lecturers - over the Kisumu riots.

Four other people were charged in Kakamega with last week's riot in which Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale's four-wheel-drive Sh3 million car was set on fire and reduced to a shell.

"The board's terms of reference will be to carry out exhaustive investigations into the genesis of the disturbances and those behind it," said Maj-Gen Ali.

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