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Violence continues in Kenya

— PHOTO: AP

MASS APPEAL: Supporters of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga listen to his speech during his visit to the Kibera slums in Nairobi on Friday.

NAIROBI: Eight persons have been killed in separate attacks in western and central Kenya, government officials said on Friday, underlining the difficulty of reversing Kenya’s cycle of post-election violence despite President Mwai Kibaki and his rival agreeing to share power.

On Thursday, Mr. Kibaki urged lawmakers to pass the laws needed to enforce the new power-sharing agreement that was reached last week. It calls for him and opposition leader Raila Odinga to share power after both sides claimed victory in the December 27 presidential election. Their dispute unleashed weeks of bloodshed, killing more than 1,000 persons and exposing divisions over land and economic inequality.

Julius Mutula, a senior government official, said attackers suspected to be Turkana tribesmen early on Friday shot dead two members of Mr. Kibaki’s Kikuyu tribe in a village.

On Tuesday, Kenya’s unicameral Parliament is expected to debate two bills needed to enforce the power-sharing deal, one a constitutional amendment.

Under last week’s deal, Mr. Odinga will become Prime Minister and have the power to “coordinate and supervise” the government — more authority than Mr. Kibaki wanted to yield. — AP

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