I HAVE NEVER TAKEN A BRIBE

Alex Ritson: You came to power on an anti-corruption ticket. Can I be really bold? Have you ever, in your whole political career, taken a bribe…ever?

Raila Odinga: First, I can say that I have never… because of the background… the way I was brought up… my family. My father used to work for every penny he earned… that is how we were brought up.

AR: You’re looking me in the eye as you say this...

RO: Exactly…I’m looking you straight in the eye and we have been determined to deal with this issue of corruption, but you need to know that we are running a coalition government and sometimes discipline is compromised.

On corruption at the top in government:

AR: It sounds as though you are saying to me that you know that this problem does go to the very top of the Kenyan government?

RO: I know it reaches a certain level, but we are taking action… like you remember three months ago we suspended very senior officials.

That itself shows that the government is willing to take action at the highest possible levels. I did suspend two Cabinet ministers whose names were mentioned... that was somehow countermanded by the President... but as I mentioned, this is because of coalition, the nature of our government.

We would like to ensure corruption is brought to an end, particularly in high places of government.

On the Euro debt crisis crippling the Kenyan economy:

AR: How worried are you about the European debt crisis?

RO: We are very concerned… given the experience we had two years ago in the economic meltdown. Initially it was felt that Africa was remote from the international financial system but we were affected…when the prices of our commodities and their demand went down. The remittances from the diaspora also… we are, therefore, very concerned.

On the Icelandic volcanic eruption:

AR: Do you feel this is more or less completely outside your control?

RO: Certainly. It goes to confirm that the world has become a truly global village. One event in one part of the world quickly affecting other parts of the world. We lost billions… tonnes of trade. (BBC World Service)