Kenya faces opposition protests

By Katie Nguyen

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan youths erected roadblocks and traders nailed metal sheets across shop windows while the opposition vowed to go ahead with three days of banned protests from Wednesday over President Mwai Kibaki's re-election.

Although Kibaki has been quick to entrench himself since the December 27 vote by naming a core cabinet and convening parliament, the opposition led by Raila Odinga received a boost when their candidate won the post of speaker in the assembly on Tuesday.

Opposition members cheered when Kenneth Marende was named the winner after a close vote in the first sitting of the house since Kibaki's disputed win unleashed a wave of bloodshed that has killed more than 600 people.

In the western opposition stronghold of Kisumu, Odinga supporters in crowded bars raised a toast to the parliamentary victory as they watched televised proceedings that spilled into the early hours of Wednesday.

"We are very happy," said David Otieno, who rides a bicycle taxi. "We are drinking and eating meat and getting ready to pour into town for a massive peace rally."

Reflecting the opposition's bitterness over last month's presidential vote, one of their legislators swore allegiance to "President Odinga" before being ordered to retake the oath.

Kenya's political crisis has jeopardised its democratic credentials, angered donors, driven tourists away and hurt one of Africa's most promising economies.

Western powers and Kenya's east African neighbours have complained of irregularities in the presidential vote count, which Odinga says was rigged.