Fires of fury, joy across Kenya at Kibaki victory

By Florence Muchori

OTHAYA, Kenya (Reuters) - Overjoyed supporters in Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki's hometown danced in the streets and burned tires in celebration of his re-election, a sharp contrast to the angry fires burning in his rival's strongholds.

Reaction to Kibaki's come-from-behind victory in the east African nation's closest-ever vote came swiftly, and in extremes of passion.

While those in Kibaki's Othaya constituency lit lamps, the symbol of his original opposition Democratic Party, people in challenger Raila Odinga's bastions rioted and started fires in a repeat of earlier violence sparked by delays in the results.

"We had rain the morning of the elections, and for us, if rain comes early in the morning in a season that has no rain, then we have been blessed," said Kiruki Wanjima, a 60-year-old teacher from Nyamari village, where Kibaki's tea farm is.

While Kibaki's fans in central Kenya felt blessed, Odinga's backers saw only damnation.

Within minutes of the announcement of Kibaki's victory on Sunday, gunshots rang out in the Nairobi slums where Odinga has support, as rioters and looters clashed with paramilitaries.

In Kenya's largest slum Kibera, in Odinga's constituency, panicked and angry people poured into the muddy streets with machetes and clubs chanting anti-Kibaki slogans.

"No Raila, no government!" they chanted in Swahili as fires burned around them. "Tomorrow the government will see."

In the rundown Kaloleni area in the western town of Kisumu, where Odinga's support is strongest, angry youths lit bonfires every few meters and ran through thick smoke as police fired above the crowds.

ETHNIC RIVALRY

Houses were set ablaze and rioters threatened to burn anything belonging to members of Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe, Kenya's largest and the chief political rival of Odinga's Luo tribe for four decades.

A government security source said rioters were attempting to damage the Kisumu water supply.

Children blocked the road with stones and joined the chorus of anti-Kibaki invective.

"No Raila, no school. Kibaki has stolen our votes. If I was grown up, I would have burnt the whole city," said student Jane Otieno, 15.

Relief coursed through Othaya, where residents said they had saved their money to pay school fees next week just in case pre-election polls showing Kibaki behind Odinga were right.