Four dead in Kenya as tensions soar over disputed poll

Four people have been killed in election-related violence in Kenya, where the opposition claimed massive rigging in a vote that President Uhuru Kenyatta looked certain to win.

The east African nation, keenly aware of post-poll violence a decade ago that left 1,100 dead, was on a knife-edge after a day of isolated protests in opposition strongholds.

The unrest broke out after opposition leader Raila Odinga claimed massive fraud as Mr Kenyatta surged ahead in provisional results, with 54% compared to his 44.7%. Results from over 96% of polling stations were in.

Two protesters were shot dead in the flashpoint slum of Mathare in Nairobi, where police also fired tear gas at crowds who burned tyres and blocked roads throughout the day.

An AFP photographer saw one of the victims, a young man with a massive gunshot wound to the head.

Nairobi police chief Japheth Koome said the two who were killed had tried to "attack our officers with pangas (machetes) and that's when the officers opened fire on them."

In the southeastern Tana River region, police said five men armed with knives had attacked a vote tallying station and stabbed one person.

"Our officers killed two of them and we are looking for others who escaped," said regional police chief Larry Kieng.

"We have not established the motive yet, we don't know if it is political or if it's a criminal incident but we are investigating and action will be taken."

The region is prone to attacks by Al-Qaeda linked Shabaab militants.