Kenya's first lady on campaign against disrespect

Kenya's volatile first lady, Lucy Kibaki, went on a series of night-time rampages through Nairobi over the weekend, attacking diplomats, journalists and policemen who she believes have not treated her with enough respect.

She first ran amok when she stormed into the house of the World Bank's country director Makhtar Diop in a tracksuit at midnight local time and demanded he turn his music down at a party he held to mark the end of his posting in Kenya.

One party guest said: "Makhtar Diop was playing bass guitar on the stage when Lucy came in and demanded they stop the music. They stopped straight away but she then tried to disconnect the equipment. She was spoiling for a fight and she wanted to make trouble."

Kibaki's own children were at the party but failed to pacify her and she returned to the house, next door to the Kibakis' home, twice more in the early hours of Saturday local time to throw more insults at the guests. Guests say Diop remained calm throughout most of her outbursts but he had to be restrained when she insulted his mother.

The next evening Kibaki turned up at the local police station in shorts - unconventional wear for stout, middle-aged African women - and demanded that Diop and his guests be arrested for disturbing the peace.

Kenya is trying to rebuild good relations with the World Bank, which had criticised the country's widespread corruption, and on Monday all Kenyan newspapers reported that Kibaki's behaviour embarrassed the country.

The negative press coverage only infuriated Kibaki further, and on Monday night, she walked into the offices of the Nation media group with her bodyguards and demanded that the reporter who had written about her confrontation with Diop be arrested. She slapped a cameraman and then refused to leave the offices until 5.30am.

- INDEPENDENT