NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- A Kenyan opposition member of parliament was gunned down near his Nairobi home early Tuesday, sparking more clashes among tribal mobs, police said.

Mugabe Were was a member of the Orange Democratic Movement, whose leader Raila Odinga, is challenging Dec. 27 election results. Were was also a businessman who grew up poor and tried to help other Kenyans, friends said.

"Whoever did this has killed the dreams of many," Elizabeth Mwangi told The New York Times. (NYSE:NYT)

As news of Were's death spread, mobs torched houses and at least 12 people were killed in Nairobi, National Public Radio reported.

In the western Kenyan city of Naivasha, police called for army air support to help control thousands of people looting and burning. Helicopters swooped over the crowds and fired over their heads, the BBC said.

Mediation talks between former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki began a few hours after Were was killed, NPR said.

But David Ohito, a senior political reporter for the Kenyan Standard, told Voice of America he had doubts about Annan's efforts.

"It does not matter how much mediation he will do," he said. "The trigger was pulled on the day the election was disputed and now the situation has gotten out of hand. We need action. No amount of mediation will solve this problem."