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Kenyan Police Kill 11 People During Post Election Protests

Police fired tear gas and gun shots.

Protests against the re-election of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta have ended in tragedy with police killing more than 11 people.

Police fired gun shots and tear gas in the slums of Kenya's capital city, Nairobi, and in Kisumu, a city in Kenya's west, during protests that stemmed from the elections results. The protests took place largely in opposition strongholds.

It is reported the 11 people shot by police included children, however more than 24 people have died in the protests so far, with claims the number could be higher.

Top Odinga lieutenant Johnson Muthama told Reuters police proceeded to pack corpses into body bags before dumping them.

The protests have mirrored those that followed the 2007 Kenyan election, when presidential candidate Raila Odinga lost the election, sparking political unrest leading to ethnic killings of more than 1,200. Hundreds of thousands of Kenyans were displaced during the protests.

Police clash with protesters in Kenya.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
Police clash with protesters in Kenya.

Despite Kenyans protesting the re-election, election commission figures indicate Kennyatta won by 54.3 percent of the vote, with rival Odinga receiving 44.7 percent. Of the 19 million registered voters, 80 percent cast their ballot.

Shortly after being re-elected, Kennyatta spoke out to his defeated rival calling for peace.

"To my worthy competitor Raila Odinga, I reach out to you, I reach out to your supporters, let us work together," Kennyatta said.

"Let us be peaceful, let us share together -- reach out to your neighbour, shake their hand. Say this election is over, let us move on."

Odinga claimed his loss in the last two elections was a result of rigged votes on both occasions.

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