Police teargas Kibaki supporters, Annan due

Kenyan police fired teargas yesterday to disperse supporters of President Mwai Kibaki hours before former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan starts mediating in an election standoff that has caused weeks of violent unrest.

Riot police scattered about 100 government supporters who had been chanting "Lead on, Kibaki!" in central Nairobi, sending businesspeople scurrying for cover. The police forced the protesters into shops and nearby alleys.

"The opposition has to recognize Kibaki is president," trader Julius Kuria said in the panicked crowd. Workers hung out of nearby windows after a canister landed in their office.