Tensions remain sky-high over flawed poll

After a week of running street battles which continued to raise the death toll from Kenya’s election violence, opposition supporters are expected to switch to a new form of protest action this week. This is likely to include the boycott of government services and private companies. Nationwide rioting that started after the allegedly rigged re-election of President Mwai Kibaki has grown into tribal killings and looting, mainly in the western regions.

Over the weekend, three people were hacked to death in ethnic clashes in Nairobi, bringing to 48 the number of deaths over the past six days. Several houses were razed as hundreds stampeded out of shantytowns that have been divided into tribal blocs. According to a Mail & Guardian Online report, the Kenyan Government on Monday condemned as ‘illegal sabotage’ a plan by the opposition to widen its protests against Kibaki's re-election to a boycott of companies linked to his allies. BBC News reports that the opposition has urged supporters to shun companies owned by Kibaki allies, including Equity Bank, Brookside Diaries and bus companies CityHoppa and Kenya Bus. Boycotts would hurt the poor and inflame ethnic divisions, the government said.

Last week, African Union chief and Ghana President John Kufuor failed to launch face-to-face talks between the Kenyan foes and instead handed the battered baton to ex-UN chief Kofi Annan. According to a report on the News24 site, Annan is to lead Graca Machel, the wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, and former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mpaka in trying to mediate.