While supporters of Raila Odinga and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) are preparing for three days of nationwide protests, the group has won the speaker’s chair in parliament which was also elected on December 27. Many of the ODM’s supporters hope to march to Nairobi’s politically symbolic Uhuru Park.
So far, the national police of Kenya had sealed off the slums as an attempt to prevent them from past mass gatherings.
After the announcement of the election results, chaos and civil unrest was triggered. Over 600 people were killed and a quarter of a million people were displaced from their homes to flee the violence.
An outside mediation between Odinga and Kibaki had failed. Kofi Annan, the former Secretary General of the United Nations fell ill and has postponed his trip to Kenya for another few days.
The police immediately slapped a ban on the ODM rallies as they heard plans for protests in at least 28 locations. So far, the capital is virtually on a security lockdown.
Kenneth Marende, the ODM candidate has been elected the speaker of Kenya’s parliament. It was greeted by cheers in the slums of Nairobi according to a report by The Associated Press.
“The police will shoot tomorrow, but they don’t have a bullet for each of us,” said Cliff Owino, a supporter for the ODM.
Owino added: “These will be our bullets. This is how the war starts.” He picked up a lump of cement and aimed it at a fleeing Kikuyu.