Thousands rally to support Kenya's Kibaki

NAIROBI, Mar 10 (Reuters) Chanting ''Kibaki stay'', thousands of Kenyans rallied around President Mwai Kibaki today, defending his government's raid on a major media group against accusations he sought to stifle the press.

Whistling, singing and banging on drums, more than 5,000 people took to the streets of Nairobi, some brandishing banners reading ''Irresponsible media caused genocide in Rwanda'' and ''We support free media but a responsible one''.

Kenyan media has been increasingly critical of Kibaki's government after graft scandals surfaced and caused three ministers to resign.

In the most aggressive assault on the press since Kenya's independence in 1963, at least 30 elite police and paramilitary commandos armed with AK-47s stormed the offices of the Standard Group's TV station, Kenya Television Network (KTN) and the Standard newspaper last week.

Thousands of newspapers were burnt at the Standard printing press during the raid, which shocked Western nations and Kenyans, who have been accustomed to a vibrant media since Kibaki took power in 2002.

Kenya's Internal Security Minister John Michuki defended the raid as a matter of state security. Police said the raid was necessary because Standard journalists had received bribes to write false stories inciting ethnic hatred.

Nairobi Mayor Dick Wathika, who helped organise today's rally, said: ''We want freedom of the press but we a want a very, very responsible press. They (the opposition) should not use the press to oppress the people.'' On Tuesday about 2,000 opposition demonstrators marched through Nairobi demanding the resignations of Kibaki and Michuki, and saying the government was against freedom of expression.

While today's protest was larger and noisier, some participants admitted they were not there to support Kibaki.

''I've been paid 50 Kenyan shillings to be here today,'' said John Indoshi, 28. ''They are simply trying to protect the president.

They fear the end is coming.'' REUTERS SY RK2032