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Kenya wary of violence before constitution vote
 Men run from a fire set during a rally against a new constitution Saturday in Mombasa, Kenya. 
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSNAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) -- Kenyan police summoned on Sunday seven legislators to explain allegations they made at political rallies about chaos and bloodshed being planned for the November 21 referendum on a new constitution. The order for the men to see police on Monday afternoon came amid growing public concern that Kenyan politicians' unchecked rhetoric has fanned violence and tribalism during a turbulent campaign in which eight people have died. Police said pro-constitution members of parliament Njeru Githae and Alfred Nderitu had told a "Yes" rally that 800 people were being secretly trained in a forest and in the capital Nairobi by ex-servicemen "to cause chaos" at the vote. Githae is Kenya's assistant justice minister. Five MPs opposed to the constitution -- Charles Keter, Noah arap Too, Paul Sang, Franklin Bett and Sammy Koech -- said at another rally there were plans to kill top officials of their "No" camp, a police statement said. "In view of the seriousness of these allegations, the above politicians are asked to report tomorrow ... to record statements and shed more light on their allegations," the statement said. Kenyans will vote on November 21 to approve or reject the proposed new constitution, the first complete overhaul of a charter drawn up on the eve of independence from Britain in 1963. The tussle between "Yes" and "No" camps has deepened a split in President Mwai Kibaki's government and largely degenerated into a tribally tinged contest for political prestige before the east African nation's next elections due in 2007. For months, Kenyan politicians have been criss-crossing the country in convoys of four-wheel drives to persuade mainly poor, rural communities to vote "banana", the symbol used by the "Yes" campaign, or "orange" for the "No" camp. Rallies have been marked by threats and mud-slinging and have frequently degenerated into riots, with rival supporters hurling fruit, chairs, stones and blows at one another. In the latest fatal violence, police shot dead four people on Friday when a "No" rally was cancelled on Kenya's east Coast and supporters who had turned up rioted. Many blame politicians for whipping up Kenyans rather than seriously debating the complicated, long-term issues at stake. The government is leading the "Yes" campaign, while the main opposition and a party in the ruling coalition are for "No". A recent poll gave the "No" camp a 10 percentage point lead. Copyright 2005 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 
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