NAIROBI — Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta urged peace and lawful demonstrations Monday, as the capital appeared to resume ordinary life following last week’s disputed elections.

Many Nairobi residents returned to work on Monday despite a call by opposition leader Raila Odinga to stay at home to protest the elections, in which Kenyatta was declared the winner and which the opposition dismissed as fraudulent.

Kenyans have the right to protest but must do so peacefully, said Kenyatta, who previously appealed for unity after his victory was announced.

‘‘As a government, we will not allow loss of life, destruction of property and looting,’’ he said, speaking to journalists at his Harambee House offices in Nairobi.

Some street stalls were closed but others opened in the Nairobi slum of Mathare, an opposition stronghold where police battled rioters following the Aug. 8 election that Odinga said was fraudulent.

The Kenyan election commission says its voting and counting process was not rigged and international observers have praised Kenya’s handling of the election.

Life is returning to normal and residents of the capital are ‘‘safe and secure,’’ said Japheth Koome, Nairobi’s police chief.

Even so, overnight young men with machetes moved around some areas.

Odinga has said he will announce his ‘‘next step’’ on Tuesday as the government urges people to resume their routines, nearly a week after the election in the East African commercial hub of 45 million people.

Associated Press