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AP Photo/Ben Curtis
World News

Kenya election violence triggers prayer call

According to a watchdog group, a young girl was among at least 24 people killed in unrest which has affected areas including the capital Nairobi and the Lake Victoria port city of Kisumu.

Clashes have seen police fire live ammunition at rioters and use tear gas against vehicles carrying opposition figures.

Speaking with Premier, John Green-Otunga - a Christian at the Radio Amani peace-keeping project in eastern Kenya - encouraged believers to pray for peace.

AP Photo/Ben Curtis

He said: "Apart from peace, they can also pray for unity. We have those people who have won the elections and we have those who have lost, and it's painful.

"The opposition leader has not conceded defeat. We don't know what is going to happen. There is just a dark cloud that is hanging on the air."

Current president, Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the victor in Tuesday's ballot, garnering 54 per cent of the votes. However, protests erupted when his main challenger, Raila Odinga, alleged vote-rigging.

Mr Green-Otunga at Radio Amani, which tries to stop rumours being used to stoke community tensions in Tana River County, expressed concern the violence could escalate.

AP Photo/Brian Inganga

He said: "The opposition said they will not go to the courts (to dispute the result) because they do not trust the courts so that means ...the other options they have may lead to more chaos and problems than we have now."

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, which scrutinises government institutions, accused police of using "unlawful and unacceptable" levels of force.

Mr Green-Otunga, who works for the Canada-based Sentinel Project for Genocide Prevention group, said elections highlight entrenched tribal divisions in Kenya.

He said: "Most people in my country vote not on an issues-basis but according to ethnicity because everybody wants their man to be the leader, no matter who their man is."

Click here to listen to Premier's Alex Williams speaking with John Green-Otunga:

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