Kenya's president visits slum where 23 people were hacked to death

Nairobi, Kenya - Kenya's president toured a slum in eastern Nairobi Friday where 23 people were killed by gangs wielding machetes and clubs and promised to improve security and replace any police commanders who fail in their duties.

President Daniel arap Moi, who was out of the country when the attack occurred early Monday, told residents of Kariobangi that Kenya's leaders, and those aspiring for leadership positions in elections expected later this year must make human rights a priority. He said he had ordered police commanders to beef up security in the low-income housing estate and threatened to replace them with retired army officers if such attacks continued.

Dozens of people were also injured in the attack when hundreds of men, allegedly belonging to a religious sect called Mungiki, rampaged through the area, attacking members of a vigilante group that calls itself the Taliban, and passersby, police and witnesses said. Others have suggested there might have been a political motive for the attack because the attackers were said to be from one tribe, while most of the victims were from another.

Politically driven ethnic violence preceded general elections in 1992 and 1997 that marked Kenya's return to multiparty politics.