Reuters AlertNet Lite - Five killed in Kenyan slum violence

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Five killed in Kenyan slum violence - police

07 Nov 2006 13:16:55 GMT
Source: Reuters

NAIROBI, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Five people were killed in a Kenyan slum after fighting broke out between two outlawed groups over extortion, police said on Tuesday, adding that two of them were killed by police who tried to quell the violence.

"Officially, we know that three people were killed last night," police spokesman Gideon Kibunjah told Reuters.

"We suspect they were slashed with crude weapons, but police intercepted a gang suspected to be one of the groups and shot dead two of them," he added.

Kibunjah said the violence in Nairobi's sprawling Mathare slum was by the rival Mungiki and Taliban groups over protection money levied by one of them on brewers of an illegal drink.

"We have heard that some of the brewers protested against paying Mungiki to be able to sell their brew and therefore hired the Taliban to protect them. It is these two vigilantes fighting," Kibunjah said.

He said the situation was under control but said the groups were armed with guns.

"The escaping gang opened fire at the police as they moved into the area last night," he said.

Mungiki is a banned sect whose name means "multitude" in the Kikuyu language of Kenya's biggest ethnic group.

In February, police arrested the head of the notorious sect over killings and running extortion rackets among transport operators.

Slum dwellers say the sect instils fear and respect by promoting archaic spiritual rituals like swearing tribal oaths.

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Last updated:Tue Nov 7 13:19:40 2006