ODINGA SPEAKING (SOF); ODINGA LEAVES.



TRANSCRIPT: MR ODINGA SAID:



"MR CHAIRMAN, THE KIND OF NATIONALISM THAT WE ADVOCATE HAS THREE MAIN IMPLICATIONS WHICH I WISH TO STRESS TO THE AUDIENCE. THE FIRST IMPLICATION IS INTERNATIONAL. KENYA UNDER A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO ACQUIRE HER OWN IDENTITY. OTHER THAN THOSE COUNTRIES WITHIN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY, ALL OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD BE EQUALLY FOREIGN TO KENYA, AND THIS WOULD BE A CHANCE FROM THE PRESENT SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY IN WHICH I UNDERSTAND THAT ONLY THE COMMUNIST COUNTRIES ARE REGARDED AS BEING FOREIGN. SO FAR KENYA HAS BEEN LIVING ON THE FAT OF THE NATIONALIST HUMP THAT PUSHED THE COUNTRY TO INDEPENDENCE, BUT THAT HAS ALL GONE NOW, AND WITH IT THE INTERNATIONAL IMAGE OF THE COUNTRY. INTERNATIONAL IMAGE AND IDENTITY OF AN INDEPENDENT NATION CONTRIBUTES TOWARDS INCREASE IN THE NATION'S INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND HENCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION. THIS, MR CHAIRMAN, SHOULD BE THE GOAL OF OUR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS."




Initials GEP/VS/CR/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: MR OGINGA ODINGA, LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION KENYA PEOPLE'S UNION PARTY, SAID YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) THAT KENYA'S INTERNATIONAL IMAGE WAS BEING DESTROYED THROUGH LACK OF NATIONALISM. HE WAS SPEAKING AT A PRESS CLUB LUNCHEON IN NAIROBI, FOLLOWING HIS PARTY'S LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN THE GEM BY-ELECTION THIS WEEKEND.

MR ODINGA, WHO LEFT THE RULING AFRICAN NATIONAL UNION WHEN VICE-PRESIDENT IN 1966 HAS NOT MADE A FORMAL SPEECH OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT FOR SOME TIME. HE WAS REFUSED PERMISSION TO SPEAK TO ELECTORS DURING THE GEM BY-ELECTION CAMPAIGN AND EARLIER THIS YEAR NAIROBI UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WENT ON STRIKE WHEN THE GOVERNMENT PREVENTED HIM FROM ADDRESSING THEM.