Nairobi- Kenya has protested to the United States and the European Union after diplomats were accused of pressuring the head of Kenya's electoral commission to resign.

The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) has faced strong criticism from an independent commission probing the causes of the chaos and violence that followed last December's disputed presidential elections.

A commission led by former South African judge Johann Kriegler found no evidence of organized cheating at the main vote counting centre, but said there many irregularities and called for ECK to be replaced or overhauled.

Diplomats are alleged to be using the conclusion of the report to pressure ECK head Samuel Kivuitu into resigning.

Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula said that while he was not defending Kivuitu, who has allegedly been threatened with a US travel ban, he had to protect Kenya's sovereignty.

The US embassy in a statement refused to comment on the travel ban threat, but said that the lack "of transparency and accountability" in the vote counting seriously compromised the results.

"The commissioners have lost the confidence of the Kenyan people and must be held accountable," the embassy said, adding that all of the Kriegler report's recommendations should be implemented urgently.

More than 1,500 people died in clashes between rival tribes affiliated to political parties and hundreds of thousands were forced to flee their homes during the post-election violence.

The clashes were prompted by Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga's accusation that President Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity had rigged the elections.

Calm returned after several months and a deal negotiated by Annan saw the creation of a power-sharing government, with Odinga sworn in as prime minister in April. (dpa)