KENYA AID PUSH ; 100,000 Face Starvation

Jan 05, 12:52 AM

By Mark Ellis

KENYA was at the centre of a huge relief effort last night to get food to more than 100,000 people fleeing the election violence.

The United Nations were spearheading the aid mission to help refugees who left their homes as more than 300 people died in a wave of riots.

UN officials say they are scrambling to get food to 100,000 in the Rift Valley area.

But the total number of homeless could be as high as 180,000.

In the coastal city of Mombasa, police fired tear gas to scatter around 1500 protesters.

In the capital, Nairobi, opposition plans to stage a protest march failed to gain much support.

But riot police were patrolling the main roads leading from Kibera and other slums into the city centre.

Violence erupted after last week's disputed election in which president Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner.

The opposition Orange Democratic Party (ODM) allege that Kibaki stole the vote to lead east Africa's biggest economy.

They have called for a new presidential election.

Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said Kibaki would hold a re- election if a court ordered it.

But asked if the constitution allowed such a thing, he said: "I doubt it."

Amid international efforts to end the crisis, South African Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu held talks yesterday with Kibaki .

He met ODM leader Raila Odinga on Thursday.

Tutu said both men indicated they were open to the possibility of negotiations, adding: "There is a great deal of hope."

Though there have been no reports of tourists getting caught in the unrest, UK tour operators have cancelled holidays to Kenya until early next week on Foreign Office advice.

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways were carrying on UK-Kenya scheduled services as normal.