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Tear gas fired on Kenya marchers Tear gas fired on Kenya marchers
(41 minutes later)
Kenyan police have fired tear gas and water cannon against protesters trying to attend a banned rally against the re-election of President Mwai Kibaki.Kenyan police have fired tear gas and water cannon against protesters trying to attend a banned rally against the re-election of President Mwai Kibaki.
The Kenyan opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has called for a million people to gather in Nairobi's Uhuru Park. The Kenyan opposition leader, Raila Odinga, had urged a million people to gather in Nairobi's Uhuru Park.
Mr Odinga told the BBC the rally was a "defining moment" for Kenya. He had called the rally as a "defining moment", but faced with the police action, the opposition called it off.
Meanwhile Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has become the first African leader to congratulate President Kibaki on his disputed re-election. More than 300 people have been killed and at least 70,000 driven from their homes across Kenya since Sunday.
See an aerial map of Nairobi and the city centre See an aerial map of Nairobi and the city centre
Mr Odinga's party has boycotted crisis talks with Mr Kibaki claiming votes were rigged in the 27 December presidential election. South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has flown in to try to mediate in the crisis, triggered by claims of vote rigging in the 27 December presidential election.
This is a country that has been held up as a model of stability. This picture has been shattered Desmond TutuSouth African Archbishop Rally in pictures Log: Day of defianceThis is a country that has been held up as a model of stability. This picture has been shattered Desmond TutuSouth African Archbishop Rally in pictures Log: Day of defiance
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has flown in to try to mediate in the crisis. The Nobel laureate is expected to meet Mr Odinga but government officials said Mr Kibaki, 76, had no plans to meet him.
The Nobel laureate is expected to meet Mr Odinga but government officials said Mr Kibaki had no plans to meet him.
Archbishop Tutu was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: "This is a country that has been held up as a model of stability. This picture has been shattered."Archbishop Tutu was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: "This is a country that has been held up as a model of stability. This picture has been shattered."
Thousands poured out of the pro-opposition Kibera slum and other shanty towns after dawn on Thursday to head for the planned rally in the centre of Nairobi.
Stock exchange closesStock exchange closes
But crowds of Kibera residents were blocked from leaving the slum by riot police and a tense stand-off ensued. Thousands poured out of the pro-opposition Kibera slum and other shanty towns after dawn on Thursday to head for the planned rally in the centre of Nairobi.
The BBC's Ian Pannell at the scene says few believe the day will pass without more violence. But crowds of Kibera residents were blocked by riot police and a tense stand-off ensued.
Security forces also surrounded Uhuru (Freedom) Park and blocked roads to keep away demonstrators. Security forces also surrounded Uhuru (Freedom) Park and blocked at strategic spots to keep away demonstrators.
Wearing white scarves and singing Kenya's national anthem, some protesters got within a mile of the city centre and sat in the road, stopping traffic. Wearing white scarves and singing Kenya's national anthem, some protesters got within a mile of the city centre.
They stopped traffic by sitting down in a main road, prompting police to disperse them with water cannon and tear gas.
It is a defining moment for the country because, as you can see, the people of this country are not willing to take this just lying down Raila OdingaOpposition leader Back to the tribalism debateRwanda fears propel WestIt is a defining moment for the country because, as you can see, the people of this country are not willing to take this just lying down Raila OdingaOpposition leader Back to the tribalism debateRwanda fears propel West
The latest disorder prompted the Nairobi Stock Exchange to close barely an hour after opening.The latest disorder prompted the Nairobi Stock Exchange to close barely an hour after opening.
The BBC's Odiambo Joseph in Mombasa says the coastal city has not escaped the disorder, witnessing running battles on Thursday morning between police and rowdy youths.The BBC's Odiambo Joseph in Mombasa says the coastal city has not escaped the disorder, witnessing running battles on Thursday morning between police and rowdy youths.
More than 300 people have been killed and at least 70,000 driven from their homes across Kenya since Sunday. Mr Odinga, 62, had vowed to press ahead with the rally, saying it would send a peaceful message to opposition supporters.
Mr Odinga vowed on Wednesday to press ahead with the rally, saying it would send a peaceful message to opposition supporters.
He told the BBC: "It is a defining moment for the country because, as you can see, the people of this country are not willing to take this just lying down."He told the BBC: "It is a defining moment for the country because, as you can see, the people of this country are not willing to take this just lying down."
But Vice-President Moody Awori urged Mr Odinga to accept defeat and call off the protest. But Vice-President Moody Awori called on Mr Odinga to cancel the protest, urging him in a public appeal: "Overcome your anger, your bitterness and all negative emotions for the sake of our country."
'Overcome your anger'
"I plead with you my friend Raila: Overcome your anger, your bitterness and all negative emotions for the sake of our country which you very much want to lead," he said in a public appeal.
Human life is more important than leadership Musyoka, Nairobi BBC News website reader Have your sayKenya economy under threatShock and fear after attackHuman life is more important than leadership Musyoka, Nairobi BBC News website reader Have your sayKenya economy under threatShock and fear after attack
Supporters of Mr Odinga and President Kibaki have accused each other of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the post-poll violence. Supporters of President Kibaki (a member of Kenya's predominant Kikuyu tribe) and Mr Odinga (from the Luo community) have accused each other of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the post-poll unrest.
Mr Kibaki invited all newly elected members of parliament to an urgent meeting at state house on Wednesday. Perhaps the most shocking of the violence in the past week was the torching on Tuesday of a church at Eldoret, in western Kenya's Rift Valley, where at least 30 (mainly Kikuyu) people were burnt alive.
But instead of attending, Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement MPs held a news conference to again urge Mr Kibaki to leave office. Mr Kibaki invited all MPs to crisis talks at state house on Wednesday but Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement refused and demanded the president quit.
African Union chairman, Ghanaian President John Kufuor, had been expected to visit Nairobi on Thursday but his arrival looked unlikely after Kenya's finance minister said there was no need for international mediation. African Union chairman, Ghanaian President John Kufuor, had been expected to visit Kenya on Thursday but Kenya's finance minister said there was no need for international mediation.
Samuel Kivuitu, head of Kenya's election commission, has told the BBC he could not say for sure if Mr Kibaki had won fairly until he was shown the original records. Samuel Kivuitu, head of Kenya's election commission, has told the BBC he could not say for sure if Mr Kibaki had won the poll fairly.
The full devastation and horror of this week's unrest emerged on Wednesday as journalists visited the charred slums of Nairobi and areas of western Kenya which saw tribal violence.
The BBC's Karen Allen walked through the smouldering embers of the wooden church on the outskirts of Eldoret, in the Rift Valley, where at least 30 people were burnt alive.
The people sheltering there were members of President Kibaki's own community but other groups were also targeted.
As dusk fell on Wednesday, hundreds of people were preparing to sleep at the main police station for security.
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