KENYA 'AGREES' POLL-RIGGING PROBE!

Violence has claimed more than 600 lives in the past month. Kenya's government has agreed to set up an official investigation into allegations of election fraud in last month's disputed poll, officials say. The commission has three months to investigate the claims of vote rigging, however the government and opposition have not agreed on the panel's make-up.

The announcement was made by a Ugandan presidential spokesman, after Yoweri Museveni met his Kenyan counterpart. Former UN chief Kofi Annan is also in Kenya, trying to mediate in the crisis. The opposition says it was cheated of victory and its protests have led to the deaths of more than 650 people. There has been no confirmation of the fraud investigation from either the government or the opposition.

Mr Annan met Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki for an hour but no agreement was reached. "These were just the initial talks," presidential spokesman Isaiya Kabira said. Earlier, the leader of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) called off a mass protest planned for Thursday in the capital, Nairobi.

Raila Odinga said he was responding to a request by Mr Annan. AFP news agency reports the death of at least 12 people overnight in several different incidents. On Wednesday, skirmishes between police and youths broke up an opposition memorial service for victims of the post-poll violence in a park in Nairobi.

The ODM had been planning a mass demonstration on Thursday to underline its anger at the official result of the 27 December presidential election, which it claims was rigged by President Mwai Kibaki and his government.

But after meeting Mr Annan, the ODM said it would not go ahead with the protest. ODM MP William Ruto told KTN television that the party had presented its evidence of electoral fraud by the government to Mr Annan and expressed its full confidence in his efforts to resolve the crisis in the country.

'Before the meeting, the former UN secretary general said he would insist on a solution for the "sake of Kenya and its people and for the sake of Africa". He is being accompanied by Graca Machel, the wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, and former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa.

Mr Annan had planned to meet both sides on Wednesday, but was prevented because Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who is on a separate mediation mission, talked to Mr Kibaki for longer than expected. Mr Annan was forced to postpone his meeting at State House for 24 hours.

Several attempts to get the two leaders to hold face-to-face talks have failed so far. The Catholic church has urged the two leaders to hold their first direct talks since the crisis began. "We ask President Mwai Kibaki and Honourable Raila Odinga to open their minds and hearts and immediately enter into dialogue," said a faxed statement signed by Cardinal John Njue and 23 bishops.

AFP news agency reports 12 deaths overnight in clashes between rival gangs and ethnic groups, quoting the police. It says there were eight deaths in Nakuru - to the north-west of the capital. It says two were killed in central Limuru, one man was hacked to death in a Nairobi slum and another Kenyan was killed in the western area of Molo.

On Wednesday, riot police fired canisters into crowds of people who had gathered for a memorial service for some of those killed in last week's crackdown on opposition protests. Hundreds of mourners had gathered to listen to prayers and speeches and Mr Odinga was finishing his speech when tear gas canisters started to fly.

Reports say a group of ODM youths were angered by the presence of police at the venue and started pelting their cars with stones and the meeting then descended into chaos. The opposition has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court, accusing the police of using excessive force during last week's protests, in which more than 30 people died.
BBC NEWS REPORT.