(Writes through with U.S. State Department)

By Wangui Kanina

NAIROBI, Feb 7 (Reuters) - The United States has warned eight Kenyans it could bar their entry on suspicion of stoking the violence that has convulsed the country since President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election, officials said on Thursday.

The move came as pressure mounted on Kenya's feuding parties to resolve a crisis triggered by the Dec. 27 polls that has killed more than 1,000 people and uprooted some 300,000 others.

The U.S. ambassador to Nairobi sent letters on Feb. 5 to the politicians and business leaders -- described by a U.S. official as "regional figures" suspected of inciting the chaos -- telling them that their visas were under review.

"It's a very clear warning to them that their actions have put them in jeopardy of losing their visas," said State Department spokesman Tom Casey. "We are going to continue to evaluate these cases over the next few days here to see whether in fact they ought to have their visas revoked."

He did not give names. Earlier on Thursday, U.S. embassy officials in Nairobi said Washington had barred entry to 10 Kenyans -- five politicians and the rest business people.

The violence has shattered Kenya's image of stability, horrifying locals, neighbouring states and world powers alike.

Western states have used such moves before against African corruption suspects, including politicians. Those targeted tend to spurn the sanctions as a neo-colonialist weapon.

"I have not received any letter and even if I received it, I would write back 'Heaven is not in your country, it is right here in my country,'" Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua, one of Kibaki's toughest backers, told reporters.

Canada has threatened to ban politicians guilty of stoking tribal violence, and diplomats say Britain may do the same.

Those warned were "individuals from both sides, both major political movements, who have some standing in their parties and who we feel have been unhelpful", said a U.S. official, who wished not to be named.

Kenya has taken its own steps against a former British envoy to Nairobi, Edward Clay, declaring him persona non grata after his tenure ended and he bought property there. Clay is a vocal critic of corruption in Kenya.

TALKS PROCEED

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is leading international mediation efforts in Nairobi, where officials from both parties met on Thursday for more talks.

A string of outside diplomats also came through, including European Union aid chief Louis Michel, who met with Annan, Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

"A little bit of goodwill from both sides and an agreement is possible, a good agreement to tackle the root causes of the situation," Michel said, adding an earlier EU threat of sanctions should not be discussed while talks were ongoing.

Having agreed on principles to stem violence and help refugees, negotiators at the Annan talks are now stuck on the original bone of contention -- who won the December vote.

Kibaki's aides say their man won, and the election board declared him winner on Dec. 30. The opposition says the election was rigged after polls showed Odinga ahead.

"The topic is a crucial one and proves divisive at times, but the talks proceeded in a good spirit, moving more slowly than in previous sessions," a U.N. spokesman said.

Odinga told reporters his stance that Kibaki should step down had changed: "We are not static on that point. We are willing to move so that an acceptable solution can be found."

Foreign ministers of the regional bloc IGAD were also in town to meet Annan and among themselves, while leaders of another regional group, the East African Community, indefinitely postponed a visit due to start on Friday.

The opposition had threatened to hold more banned street protests if heads of state came. They say Kibaki is seeking to legitimise his position "through the back door" by playing host.

Kibaki was recognised last week as a head of state at an African Union summit, a meeting Kenya's opposition tried but failed to get into.

The crisis has laid bare divisions over land, wealth and power that date from colonial rule and have since been stoked by politicians, particularly at election time.

On Thursday police also said they would charge one of their officers with murder after he was filmed shooting two protesters in Kisumu last month in what rights groups and the opposition denounced as extrajudicial killings. (For special coverage from Reuters on Kenya's crisis see: http ://africa.reuters.com/elections/kenya/) (Additional reporting by Duncan Miriri, Daniel Wallis, Bryson Hull, Joseph Sudah; Writing by Daniel Wallis, Editing by Bryson Hull and Michael Winfrey)

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