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Tension was also high in the capital's Mathare slum, a flashpoint of recent clashes, after police broke up roadblocks put up by opposition youths in new protests against Kibaki.

The opposition plans three days of major rallies in defiance of a police ban on protests.

Parliament opened ahead of the arrival of former UN chief Kofi Annan to take over efforts to mediate a resolution to the political unrest

which has left at least 700 dead and displaced a quarter of a million.

Central Nairobi was under a virtual lockdown for the parliamentary session, with a massive police deployment including elite paramilitary units.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who claims he was robbed of the presidency in the December 27 elections, has vowed his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, which won the most seats in the polls, would sit on the government side of the chamber once lawmakers were sworn in.

ODM lawmakers arrived in the 222-seat parliament wearing orange handkerchiefs tucked in their suit pockets in a symbolic protest at Kibaki's election.

They gave Odinga a standing ovation when he entered the chamber but remained seated when Kibaki arrived.

Neither side secured a majority in the legislative vote prompting a fight to woo smaller parties ahead of the session.

"We have already done an audit and established that we have the majority on the floor of the House," said Mutula Kilonzo, the spokesman of the government side.

The opposition, however, was in combative mode.

"The battle will today shift to the House after they rigged us out," said ODM member William Ruto. "We are determined to ensure that Kenyans get what they deserve and that is justice attained during the polling".

Odinga's party secured 99 seats, while the PNU led by Kibaki, whose re-election has not been recognised by the ODM, mustered only 43 seats.

Many feared further violence between police and opposition supporters during this week's rallies.

Police say more than 700 people were killed in riots and tribal killings following the announcement of Kibaki's re-election amid international concerns over flaws in the vote tallying.

Some 260,000 people have had to flee their homes since the violence erupted, prompting a humanitarian crisis in the country.

More than 6,100 people - many of them members of Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe - have crossed into eastern Uganda, UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Ron Redmond said in Geneva, citing figures from Ugandan authorities.

Vocabulary

clampdown, n: forcing restrictions or controls on somebody

to dispute, v: to argue; to not agree

slum, n: place where poor people live in very cheap housing

flashpoint, n: point or stage at which strong action or a fight might easily occur

rally, n: meeting of a large number of people

to displace, v: to move somebody against their will from their home

standing ovation, n: show of great respect by standing up and clapping someone

majority, n: more than 50 per cent of the total votes in an election

legislative, adj: related to the making of laws

combative, adj: ready to fight or quarrel

Questions

1. What caused the major security clampdown in Nairobi?

a. opening of parliament

b. delivery of food relief packages

c. an attack by a neighbouring country

d. the arrival of former UN chief Kofi Annan

2. Why does Raila Odinga believe he should be president?

a. He won the most votes.

b. He was born into the presidential family.

c. He is more handsome than anybody else.

d. He spent the most money in the elections.

3. How did lawmakers protest against the presidential elections?

a. They threw bombs in the streets.

b. They wore orange handkerchiefs.

c. They killed government politicians.

d. They went on a hunger strike until they died.

4. What party won a majority of votes in the election?

a. RIF

b. PNU

c. ODM

d. none

5. What country did people flee to?

a. Kenya

b. Geneva

c. Uganda

d. United Nations

Synonyms

Which of the following words or phrases replace the ones from the passage best?

1. impose

a. hinder

b. prevent

c. enforce

d. suggest

2. vow

a. try

b. fail

c. deny

d. promise

3. clash

a. fight

b. bribe

c. election

d. demonstration

4. defiance

a. demand

b. accordance

c. observance

d. disobedience

5. mediate

a. force

b. restrict

c. obstruct

d. negotiate

KEY

Questions           1. a,  2 . a, 3. b, 4. d,  5. c

Synonyms           1.  c. 2. d, 3. a, 4. d,  5. d

By Ajarn Horst Baelz