Kenya police teargas Kibaki supporters in Nairobi

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan police fired teargas on Tuesday to disperse scores of supporters of President Mwai Kibaki who took to the streets of central Nairobi to back his disputed re-election.

Police chased the supporters, who had been chanting "Lead on, Kibaki!", into shops and nearby alleys in the latest bout of unrest in the east African nation.

Police have banned street protests since the election, almost all of which have been by the opposition.

About a dozen police officers fired at least three canisters of tear gas at the group, which numbered around 100, as they moved down a main street with banners saying "Respect Kibaki" and showing his face.

Former U.N. boss Kofi Annan is due in Kenya later on Tuesday to try to mediate the crisis since a December 27 vote that the opposition says was rigged in favor of Kibaki.

(Reporting by Nick Tattersall; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne)