A decision by the International Criminal Court is due today on whether six influential Kenyans - including two presidential contenders - accused of helping to orchestrate violence that killed more than 1,000 people following disputed elections in 2007 will face prosecution.

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan was due to hold talks today to mediate in the deadly dispute over Kenya’s presidential election, and the opposition said it was willing to reconsider plans for protest rallies this week.

Kenya’s embattled opposition vowed to stage another day of rallies today, setting the scene for more violence amid a political deadlock between the president and his chief rival.

The death toll from more than five days of violence in Kenya rose above 300 today as the government denied the country was in crisis.