Kenyan tribal row escalates

Fresh fears of ethnic violence swept Kenya today after another tribal group became ensnared in the county's continuing political row.

Hundreds of members of the Kamba tribe fled their homes in the west of the country after one of their leaders was included in the new cabinet of President Mwai Kibaki.

Mr Kibaki's own Kikuyu tribe has been the target of murderous attacks since his disputed election last week.

Kenya's opposition accuse him of stealing the presidential election and undermining attempts to resolve the crisis that has killed more than 500.

Yesterday he named half of his cabinet, packed with allies.

They included Kalonzo Musyoka, a member of the Kambas, as the new vice president.

So far there have been no places for any members of main opposition leader Raila Odinga's party.

Today, with suitcases on their heads and frightened children grabbing at their skirts, ethnic Kamba women searched for transport to get away from western Kisumu town.

Seven buses and two dozen cars overloaded with people waited on a police escort to try to reach Nairobi.

On the road to the capital city, dozens of angry youths brandishing sticks burned tyres to block their route. "If elections fail, violence prevails!" they shouted.

At the bus station, where fares doubled overnight, businessman Isaac Notuva said: "Our lives are in danger. Now those things that happened to the Kikuyu will happen to the Kamba."

Yesterday the government issued a statement saying there was room in the remainder of the Cabinet for opposition party members.

Mr Odinga's party won 95 parliament seats and Mr Kibaki's party 43 in legislative elections held the same day as the presidential elections, meaning it will be difficult for Mr Kibaki to govern without making some overture to Mr Odinga.

Mr Odinga earlier rejected Mr Kibaki's invitation to talks, saying it was "public relations gimmickry" and that he was "trying to deflect attention from and undermine" international mediation.

Meanwhile diplomatic efforts to end the crisis continued.

The chairman of the African Union, Ghanaian President John Kufuor, arrived on his mediation mission and US presidential candidate Barack Obama - whose late father was Kenyan - called Mr Odinga.

US Kenya is an ally in the West's war on terrorism and has turned over dozens of people to the US and Ethiopia as suspected terrorists.

The country allows American forces to operate from Kenyan bases and conducts joint exercises with US troops in the region.