"BANANA REPUBLIC"
Kenyans are aghast at the turmoil in a nation popular among tourists for its safaris and Indian Ocean beaches, and which is a major hub for the United Nations, diplomats, journalists, aid workers and others working round turbulent east Africa.
"Banana republic images on all major Western TV channels, newspapers and Web sites of bodies in morgues and of police violence and of tribal warriors wielding machetes and axes, are sickening and horrifying," wrote commentator Fred Mudhai.
In the capital's tribally polarised shanty towns, witnesses said the bloodshed went on into the early hours of Friday.
"They are mixing petrol bombs as we speak," said a resident of Kibera, one of Africa's biggest slums.
With the economic ramifications starting to sink in, stocks and currency trade restarted on Friday after being halted during Thursday's street battles. But few brokers traded and they kept a wary eye on developments.
The World Bank said the violence could hurt Kenya's impressive economic gains - and harm countries in the region that rely on it as the region's business hub.
Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi are already suffering fuel shortages as the conflict chokes off supplies from Mombasa port.
Senior officials from both sides of Kenya's bitter political divide have traded accusations of genocide and ethnic cleansing. But on Thursday, Kibaki struck a more conciliatory note in his first words to the press since the troubles began.
"I am ready to have dialogue with the concerned parties once the nation is calm," he told reporters.
The European Union has also urged him and Odinga to form a coalition government. Its observer mission said the election fell short of democratic standards.
Kenya's Attorney General Amos Wako said on Thursday both sides should agree on an independent person or body to carry out "a proper tally" of the votes cast.
Many Kenyans were sceptical a recount would work.
"What African president can step down in these circumstances?" said George, a hotel worker. "Besides, the government has had that paperwork for a week. If they cheated, it has been forged by now. Or more likely they burned it."
Kibkoech Tanui, a Standard newspaper editor, said even letting Kibaki serve another five years despite the suspect manner of his win would be acceptable if it stopped bloodshed like the massacre of 30 people in a rural church.
"I would wipe away my tears and stifle my sense of being cheated if the alternative is churches being turned into pyres to burn up children who might not even know who is ruling Kenya," he wrote.
