Kenya sends extra police in case of election violence

Kenya is dispatching 18,000 additional police officers to the Rift Valley ahead of its first national vote since the 2007-08 political violence which left more than 1,000 people dead,

At least 200 people in the volatile Rift Valley already have fled their homes before the vote, fearing a flare-up.  Some of the worse attacks in 2007 occurred there.  Tribesmen used bows and arrows, gangs hacked opponents to death and police were accused of shooting sprees.

At a rally against the constitution in downtown Nairobi in mid-June, grenade attacks killed six people. Leaflets threatening violence have been distributed elsewhere and three politicians were charged with hate speech for inciting crowds.

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