Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad said South African President Thabo Mbeki's government was urging all parties in Kenya involved to rise above "narrow political interests" and agree on a solution to end the crisis.

He warned of dire consequences if that fails.

"It will begin to take dimensions of ethnic and tribal conflict that will be disastrous for Kenya and for the African continent as a whole," Pahad told a news briefing.

"For us what is alarming is that there are increasing reports coming out that militias aligned to the main protagonists are now being armed and that creates a more volatile situation," Pahad said.

Kenya's violence was triggered by the disputed re-election of President Mwai Kibaki in a vote opposition leader Raila Odinga says was rigged, but the bloodshed has taken on an increasing tribal dimension.

At least 850 people have been killed and the turmoil has knocked east Africa's biggest economy.

Pahad said South Africa, the continent's biggest economic power, was supporting mediation by the African Union and former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.