1.
Interviewer Brian Barron speaking to Oginga Odinga.
1.01

2.
SVs: Barron seated with Odinga as interview continues. (4 shots)
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BARRON: "Would you regard yourself as a potential Presidential candidate?"



ODINGA: "Well, that depends, because you know, to be a President of a country has got its own....it carries with it a lot of responsibilities and it has got a lot of great problems, and complex problems too. And as such, one cannot say easily that he is anxious to be a President. It is only even the people of a country who wants him.. If he feels that the people of the country want his to be, then of course, I cannot let the people down."



BARRON:"Is there any reason to think that you might be barred from the political process of selection of the Presidential candidate? Do you think that you are fully entitled to compete?"



ODINGA:"At the moment I do not know of anything written down to bar me from standing as a Presidential candidate.



BARRON:"Mr odinga, do you believe that the Government, the Government's direction and policy should be radically changed?"



ODINGA: "I feel that this should be left to the Party. The Party should be properly organised and the Party should represent the voice of the country. And that one will actually streamline what should be the policy of the country.



BARRON: "But clearly you don't think that the Party is organised properly at present?"



ODINGA: "At present I don't think so."



Politicial observers have noted that Mr Odinga may be ruled out as a possible candidate because of the requirement that the new President has to be an elected -- and not appointed -- member of parliament and a member of the ruling party.




Initials RH/1845


REPORTER: BRIAN BARRON

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Kenya's former Vice President, Mr Oginga Odinga, who broke with President Kenyatta nine years ago, joined mourners on Friday (25 August) to pay homage to the dead leader in Nairobi. Mr Odinga's gesture is seen as a sign of the unity that has marked the mourning ceremonies. Mr Odinga, a powerful voice within the two million-strong Luo community, was detained on President Kenyatta's orders in 1969 after he broke with the ruling Kenya African National Unity Party. Mr Odinga sought to form a rival political party. He and the President, once close allies, were driven into opposing camps. However, after paying homage to the dead President, Mr Odinga said that although they had great difference, he and Jomo Kenyatta believed in the same goal -- nationalism. Later Brian Barron asked Mr Odinga about his Presidential ambitions.