Kibaki+wins+Kenya+vote,+protests+erupt,+Wallis+and+Kanina,+Reuters



=Kibaki wins Kenya vote, protests erupt=


 * Daniel Wallis and Wangui Kanina, Reuters, Nairobi, 30 December 2007**

President Mwai Kibaki beat opposition rival Raila Odinga by a narrow margin to win re-election in Kenya's closest ever vote, the head of the country's electoral commission (ECK) said on Sunday.

Thousands of pro-opposition protesters immediately launched angry demonstrations, burning shacks in the capital's Kibera slum. Odinga has accused the government of widespread rigging -- allegations that had already fuelled two days of ethnic riots.

Police also fired teargas in another slum in the capital.

Kibaki was sworn in immediately at State House, witnesses said, as the announcement of his victory sent his supporters pouring into the streets in celebration, many beeping car horns.

"Honourable Mwai Kibaki is the winner," ECK chairman Samuel Kivuitu told a small group of reporters at the tally centre.

Scuffles and heckling had erupted moments earlier, forcing paramilitary police to escort Kivuitu to safety soon after he began reading final results in the cliffhanger vote.

Party agents, politicians and most journalists were then ejected from the Nairobi conference centre, and the ECK head completed the results announcements in front of a small group.

Chief European Union observer Alexander Graf Lambsdorff said some doubts remained about the accuracy of the final count.

"We believe that, at this time, the ECK, despite the best efforts of its chairman, has not succeeded in establishing the credibility of the tallying process to the satisfaction of all parties and candidates," he said in a statement.

"We regret that it has not been possible to address irregularities about which both the EU (observer mission) and the ECK have evidence ... some doubt remains as to the accuracy of the result of the presidential election as announced today."


 * GUNSHOTS, ARSON**

Odinga had earlier alleged that "doctoring" was taking place at the ECK centre inself. ODM officials were locked in a crisis meeting after the announcement and did not immediately comment.

Delays announcing official results have triggered furious protests and ethnic clashes across the east African nation.

Riots convulsed Kibera -- one of Africa's biggest slums -- after the announcement and residents said opposition supporters were burning houses and kiosks.

"There's a lot of heat over here. People are out in their thousands," Kibera resident Joshua Odutu said against a backdrop of gunshots, whistles and shouting.

Police reinforcements in riot gear had been deployed in large numbers as many Kenyans feared worse violence was to come.

The few supermarkets and food shops that opened were packed with nervous customers. Shelves of meat, milk, beer, bottled water and other provisions emptied fast.

Business leaders said this weekend's tribal clashes were costing more than $30 million a day in lost taxes -- not to mention looting damage -- and threatened investment in Kenya.

The country normally enjoys a reputation as a haven of relative calm in a volatile region of Africa.

One election observer who asked not to be named said they were "in very little doubt" there had been rigging.


 * From: http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN056747.html**

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