Kenya protests to end after Friday

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Opposition street protests over the disputed re-election of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki will end "for now" after demonstrations planned for Friday, a spokesman said.

"I think the mass protests are over for now," spokesman Salim Lone told BBC Radio.

The opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will switch to other forms of action such as small strikes and boycotts of companies run by what he called government hardliners.

"The first one is to begin mass boycotts of companies owned by hardliners around President Kibaki," Lone told Reuters.

"One of the purposes is to weaken the hardliners and soften the moderates." Lone mentioned Brookside Dairies, Equity Bank and CityHoppa Buses as possible targets for action.

At least eight people have been shot dead by police during two days of demonstrations called by Raila Odinga, leader of the ODM, who says the December 27 presidential election was rigged.

(Editing by Robert Woodward)