HOMES BURNT IN KENYA POLL CLASHES!

Dozens of homes have been set on fire in central Kenya, police say, with reports of several deaths as post-election violence continues. The latest clashes were in the Rift Valley capital, Nakuru, where there are reports of at least five people killed. The violence comes despite hopes of progress after President Mwai Kibaki met opposition leader Raila Odinga for the first time since disputed polls.

Former UN chief Kofi Annan is to hold further talks to try to end the crisis. His spokesman said he would be meeting various Kenyan leaders on Friday but had no plans to lead further direct talks between the election rivals.

Although Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga shook hands, the opposition were angered by the president's statement that he had had been "duly elected". Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) say he was cheated of victory. Violence that has broken out since the election has killed 700 people across the country. The ODM says Mr Kibaki's statement shows he is not committed to meaningful talks.

The BBC's Adam Mynott in Nairobi says the symbolism and significance of the two leaders' meeting was enormous, but there is still a great deal of work to be done and compromise required for them to resolve their differences and reach an agreed way forward.

The announcement of the talks came as a surprise to many in Nairobi. Several earlier attempts to get the rivals to meet had failed, with Mr Kibaki insisting on direct talks and Mr Odinga refusing to meet without a mediator.

On Friday there were reports that as many as seven people had been killed. Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said he could not confirm the reports of five deaths in Nakuru but he said two people had been killed in the nearby town of Molo.

On Thursday, Human Rights Watch issued a report accusing opposition officials of helping to organise ethnic violence in the Rift Valley region, in which hundreds of Mr Kibaki's Kikuyu community were deliberately targeted and killed.

ODM spokesman Salim Lone said HRW should provide concrete evidence before jeopardising mediation efforts. The party has denied previous accusations of ethnic cleansing. The unrest triggered by the election on 27 December has driven 250,000 people from their homes.
BBC NEWS REPORT.