Five die in attack on Kenyan refugees

Five people were killed in politically-fuelled ethnic violence in the Kenya today as the opposition said it would resume protests…

Five people were killed in politically-fuelled ethnic violence in the Kenya today as the opposition said it would resume protests next week over the disputed election of President Mwai Kibaki.

Today's deaths in the Great Rift Valley brought the number of those killed in the last four days to at least 28.

Refugees from the Kikuyu tribe and the Kisii ethnic group were killed when a group of Kalenjins raided a camp in the village of Kipkelion.

"A group of armed warriors attacked a village, leaving five people dead and property destroyed. These were refugees in a camp, people thought to have supported Kibaki," Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer Everett Wasige said.

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Several hundred people had taken refuge at the camp, located near a monastery, after three weeks of attacks across the Valley aimed at people seen to support Kibaki.

The opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) dominates the Rift, and most of the 250,000 people who fled politically-fuelled ethnic clashes came from there. Police say the Rift accounts for 70 per cent of the 650 people killed since Mr Kikabi was elected on December 27th.

Meanwhile, the ODM reversed its plan to call off demonstrations and said "peaceful public rallies" would resume on Thursday.

"We will use all available means to bring down the Kibaki regime," ODM chairman Henry Kosgey said.

Party leader Raila Odinga said yesterday the opposition would take its fight off the streets and use other channels, including talks with African leaders and economic boycotts.

Mr Odinga says Mr Kibaki stole the closest-ever election in the east African nation from him. International observers say the count was so chaotic it was impossible to tell who won, and the government says the ODM also rigged votes.

The protests are a high-stakes tactic to pressure the government, already being threatened with aid cuts after images of police shooting and beating protesters drew widespread criticism.

But many Kenyans say ODM's strategy could backfire, as the protests have bred chaos that disrupted schools and closed businesses, and shown Mr Odinga staying off the streets while his supporters face the might of government security services.