Kenyan police say 2 killed, 63 arrested during party primaries

Kenyan police said Saturday only two people were killed and 63 others arrested for various electoral offences in the hotly contested primary elections across the East African nation.

Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinett said between April 23-24, only 24 cases were recorded in different counties in which the primaries took place.

"One person was injured and two people killed in Nairobi, of the two one was subjected to mob injustice while being accused of a pick pocket during NASA (opposition) rally," Boinett said in a statement issued in Nairobi,

"The other was stabbed during a confrontation between two rival aspirants along Juja Road on Thursday. The two cases are under investigations," he added.

The police chief called on Kenyans to continue maintaining peace during the other phases of the electoral calendar.

"The police appeals to all political contestants to voice their grievances through the established respective party channels," said Boinnet.

Both opposition and ruling party primaries which started last week have experienced chaotic scenes and accusations of rigging. The ruling Jubilee Party had to postpone the start of its primaries because of a shortage of voting materials.

The U.S. government has asked its citizens in or traveling to Kenya to be alert to the security situation as the country heads toward general elections in August.

In a travel alert issued on April 6, the State Department said political rallies, demonstrations, and protests may occur with little notice and even those intended to be peaceful can escalate into violence.

The Al-Qaeda-allied militia group, Al-Shabaab, has threatened Kenya with retaliatory attacks, saying it considers the Kenyan forces' cross border incursion in pursuit of the militants, an affront to Somalia's sovereignty. Endit