U.S. cautions Americans ahead of Kenya elections set for August

Reuters
Kenyan opposition leader from Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) Raila Odinga addresses residents during the launch of the 2017 general elections voter registration exercise by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) within Kibera slums in the capital Nairobi, January 16, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Thursday cautioned Americans living in or traveling to Kenya about possible rallies or protests that could turn violent, ahead of general elections slated for Aug. 8. "Rallies, demonstrations, and protests may occur with little notice and even those intended to be peaceful can escalate into violence," the State Department said in a travel alert. "As with all large events, there is also the opportunity for criminal elements or terrorists to target participants and visitors." Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga said in February that mass protests were possible if the August elections were rigged. After a disputed poll in 2007, more than 1,200 people were killed in weeks of fighting after political protests turned into ethnic clashes, but 2013 elections passed relatively peacefully. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati)