Kenyan police tear gas stops opposition rally

Kenyan police detained opposition MPs, broke up an open-air market and fired tear gas in the city of Kisumu yesterday to prevent an anti- government rally from taking place. Anti-riot police and a paramilitary unit sealed off the town centre and blocked the main road from the airport, where they held up at least five opposition MPs associated with the National Convention Assembly reform lobby. The NCA is campaigning for legal and constitutional reforms before elections later this year.

The rally in Kisumu, an opposition stronghold 190 miles (300km) north- west of the capital, Nairobi, was supposed to be the first in a series of demonstrations announced earlier this week. Reformists want President Daniel arap Moi, 74, in office for 19 years, to repeal colonial-era laws and enact constitutional reforms, without which, they argue, free and fair elections are impossible. AP - Kisumu, Kenya