Kenyan police say only 6 killed in post election chaos

Kenyan police on Sunday dismissed reports that over 100 people have been killed in the past two days following the release of presidential election results in which incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta won.

Police spokesman George Kinoti said only six people were killed in Nairobi and Kisumu in Western Kenya in which armed criminals attacked police officers attempting to effect arrest, resulting in the killing of the attackers.

"We are also aware of a very sad and unfortunate incident in which a nine-year old girl was shot dead while in their houses in Mathare, in Nairobi by unknown persons," Kinoti said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

He said two criminals were shot dead while breaking into a supermarket in Nairobi's Ruaraka estate. "When challenged to surrender, they attacked the law enforcement officers with machetes with intent to harm them," Kinoti said.

He said a third person was killed in Starehe residential estate in Nairobi while in a group of 25 armed with assorted crude weapons breaking into private houses after charging at police officers.

Kinoti said two other criminals were fatally neutralized after a gang of six broke into a shop in a residential estate in Nairobi. "As police pursued them, they fired at the police officers who fired back in defence," Kinoti said.

The police spokesman said the sixth person was killed in the lakeside Western city of Kisumu when a criminal was shot after a large riotous mob blocked a road and barricaded it with bonfires and stones and attacked motorists and pedestrians.

"The police officers attempted to effect the arrest were also attacked," Kinoti said, noting that another dead body was discovered alongside a road with fresh wounds in a slum in Nairobi but circumstances of the killing remains unknown.

"We wish to inform the public that we are investigating a number of individuals suspected of incitement to violence, either directly or through intemperate social media postings with a view of effecting arrest for prosecution before the court of law," Kinoti said.

"We urge all Kenyans to avoid re-circulating photos that are not verified as real. They are being used to incite and undermine our security. The police are prepared professionally to protect lives and property from violent rioters," he said.

The statement comes after the opposition coalition said Saturday at least 100 people were killed by the police responding to protests which erupted after the announcement of the presidential election results on Friday.

However, state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said 24 people have been killed across the country from police brutality since Aug. 8.

source: Alarabiya