NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Archbishop Desmond Tutu arrived in Kenya Thursday to begin an attempt to restore calm to the African nation torn apart by post-election violence.
Tutu, a Nobel laureate heading up a delegation from the All Africa Conference of Churches, said he would meet with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odina of the Orange Democratic Movement, SABC News reported. After arriving in Nairobi, Tutu said the group had hopes of reaching an acceptable agreement to save the country and its people, the news service reported on its Web site.
An estimated 300 people have died in wanton violence across the country since the closely contested elections Dec. 27 in which Kibaki won re-election by a slim margin.
The Orange Democratic Movement reportedly was planning a demonstration at Uhuru Park in Nairobi. A large contingent of police and army soldiers had been deployed, SABC said.
