Verbal attacks stoke Kenya crisis

By Daniel Wallis and Andrew Cawthorne

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyans faced more turmoil on Friday after both sides in the country's deadly political crisis accused each other of trying to sink mediation efforts.

Hopes of an end to violence that has killed nearly 700 people rose after President Mwai Kibaki met his rival Raila Odinga for the first time since disputed December 27 polls.

The two men shook hands and vowed to seek a solution. But in remarks to reporters, Kibaki's description of himself as the nation's "duly elected" leader brought an explosive reaction from Odinga's party, which says he stole the vote.

"Kibaki lost the last general election and his claim to the presidency is illegal and illegitimate," Anyang' Nyong'o, a senior opposition figure, told reporters shortly after the talks, which were brokered by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan.

Nyong'o said Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) would now review the whole process and it was essential that mediation principles be agreed in writing before anything else happened.

Asked about the prospect of more direct talks, he said it would depend on Kibaki's "good manners".

"We must be assured that Mwai Kibaki will behave himself."

A spokesman for Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) said the opposition statement on Thursday was juvenile, disappointing and had dragged Kenya into the "deepest abyss".