Uhuru Kenyatta farm attacked on day of protests, vandalised

A BBC journalist at the scene in Nairobi's outskirts saw the invaders stealing sheep, with one man saying he was selling it for $23 (£19).

There were no police in sight and some of the looters were carrying machetes.

Others were felling trees, and many of the people on site had been bussed in.

Many businesses near the farm and in the city centre remained closed all day. A gas factory linked to opposition leader Raila Odinga has also been vandalised.

Mr Odinga, who is allied to Mr Kenyatta, has told the BBC that the attack on the former president's farm was carried out by thugs hired by the government. Kenya's government has not commented on the allegation.

Post-election violence is nothing new in Kenya. But attacks on the property of political leaders signals a big shift.

At least one person has been killed in the protests in the western city of Kisumu, an opposition stronghold, where police fired tear gas at protesters who burnt tyres and barricaded major roads.

Since the protests began last week, at least three people have been killed in the violence.

In Nairobi's Kibera neighbourhood, where Mr Odinga enjoys huge support, police have fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters.

Mr Odinga and his Azimio la Umoja coalition first called for demonstrations earlier this month to protest against government failures to curb rising prices, and what he says was the fraudulent victory of President William Ruto in last year's election.

Even though that win was upheld by Kenya's highest court, Mr Odinga insists that the election was "stolen" and has called for protests every Monday and Thursday.

Mr Odinga is a former prime minister who has run for president unsuccessfully five times. As ex-President Kenyatta's tenure neared its end, he chose to back his former rival Mr Odinga instead of his own deputy Mr Ruto.

Back in 2007 Mr Ruto was Mr Odinga's running mate in that presidential election, which was won by Mr Kenyatta.

The Kenyatta family is one of Kenya's biggest landowners. Kenya's political and business elites are tiny in number and often closely linked.

There is often a sort of gentleman's agreement after each election cycle between opposing sides. Attacks on property owned by political leaders, even though we don't know how they were organised, call that general understanding into question.

Some looters at the Kenyatta family farm claimed they were getting even for business losses caused by protests organised by Mr Odinga and allegedly sponsored by Mr Kenyatta.

Those comments and their actions seemed to echo the words of the leader of the majority in parliament Kimani Ichung'wah, who said at the weekend:

"If property of any Kenyan is attacked, we will also invade your farms and those who have no land will also be able to own land... You will pay the price if you continue to instigate violence and bloodshed in this country and that is my message to none other than Uhuru Kenyatta, the sponsor, sole sponsor, singular financier of Azimio and mercenary that is Raila Odinga."

When contacted by the BBC on Monday, Mr Ichung'wah denied that he had any links to the invasion of Mr Kenyatta's farm. He did not provide any evidence for his claims that the former president was financing Mr Odinga.

Mr Odinga denied any responsibility for the destruction of property.