Fresh killings in Kenya

Raila Odinga, who was President Uhuru Kenyatta's challenger in last year's election, has called for nationwide rallies next month over what he said were public worries that include security failings, corruption and rising living costs.

He set a July 7 deadline for the start of a national dialogue, but he did not spell out the consequences if his demand was not met.

Odinga's comments in an interview with Reuters have set him on a collision course with the government, which has dismissed the deadline as a bid by the 69-year-old former prime minister to create a crisis that will haul him back to the center of politics in the east African nation.

The Kenyan presidency insists there is no basis for national talks as there is no breakdown in institutions or constitutional order.

"He (Odinga) is trying to become relevant by manufacturing a crisis," said Munyori Buku , senior communications director at the presidency.

Allegations of hate speech and incitement

Kenyans have mixed views on the opposition's plans for rallies. Nairobi University student Hamisi Khalfan told Deutsche Welle he believes they are intended to pave the way for early campaigns for the next general election. "They are preparing (the) ground to overthrow the government," he said.

Chris Munga Munga, who works in the security business, said all rallies called by the opposition so far had been peaceful. "I have never seen anybody inciting anybody to fight anybody," he said.

He was referring to allegations that nine opposition politicians had been using rallies for the purposes of incitement and to make hate speeches. Raila Odinga's opposition CORD party closed ranks behind them on Tuesday with one party official, Moses Wetangula, saying it was a clear attempt by the government "to silence, intimidate and harass persons particularly in the political arena."

Kenya is grappling with a string of serious lapses in internal security.

Officials announced on Tuesday that at least 11 people had been killed in a new attack on Kenya's coast region, one week after some 60 people died in two killing sprees nearby, including one on Mpeketoni town.

Some were hacked to death with knives in this latest assault, others were shot and executed at close quarters. Several people were reported to have been wounded in the attack, which took place in a small village near the town of Witu.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility.

Conflicting claims

Last week al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the twin killings, but President Kenyatta said they were the work of "local political networks," which some have interpreted as a veiled reference to the opposition.

Kenyan political analyst Brian Wanyama told Deutsche Welle he believes the "local political networks" allegation is a bit tricky to justify. "Looking at the statistics of the people who died in Mpeketoni would point at a scenario where people came from various communities. They were not just from one particular community. In a way, it waters down the strength of his assertion," he said.