By Xinhua
Nairobi : An uneasy calm returned to the country Saturday after three days of opposition protests over last month’s disputed presidential elections.
More than 20 people were killed during the three-day nationwide anti-government protests called by the main opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) across the country.
Nairobi had a semblance of normalcy with residents trying to go about their chores.
Meanwhile the police have bowed to pressure and instituted a committee to probe the shooting of two demonstrators in the lakeside city of Kisumu on Wednesday.
The shooting of the two demonstrators caused uproar from both local and international organisations that accused the authorities of using live ammunition to break up peaceful demonstrations.
Nine western governments have urged Kenya to “stop killing unarmed civilians” as the death toll from three days of clashes between police and demonstrators reached 25.
“We urge security forces to exercise their duties strictly within the boundaries of law and desist from any extraordinary or disproportionate use of force and, in particular, the killing of unarmed protestors,” said the statement issued by Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Britain’s missions in Kenya.
Elite police forces were deployed in Kisumu and other towns in Kenya to enforce the government’s ban on political rallies and public gatherings.
The ban was imposed after the ODM, led by Raila Odinga, vowed to fight the results of the Dec 27 presidential vote, which put incumbent President Mwai Kibaki back in power for a second five-year term. The opposition says the vote-count was rigged and has demanded a new vote.
The opposition had called off mass protests Friday and said that they would give a chance to international mediation efforts that are to start next week.