Raila opens up on temptations to operate offshore accounts

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has opened up about temptation to open and operate offshore accounts that are used by wealthy people to hide money.

Odinga was speaking during a recent interview with a Kalenjin radio station where he clarified that he does not have any offshore accounts.

“I own no offshore accounts. All my money is stored and invested here in Kenya,” he said, adding there is no problem holding offshore accounts unless the money is acquired illegally.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga Pulse Live Kenya

He said that when he was serving in the government, businessmen would sometimes ask him for favours in exchange for money.

“I have been in Government, and I know there are many temptations that come with being a senior State official. A businessman would approach you, and tell you: ‘look, do this favour for me, and I would give you funds that you’d store in secret accounts’. From the onset, I told them: ‘no, that is the work of the devil. You’re like a devil tempting Jesus. I remember, from the Bible, Jesus told Satan: ‘go away!” he said.

“I know there are many temptations state officers are subjected to but I’d advise them to resist the urge to engage in wrongdoing,” the ODM leader added.

President Uhuru Kenyatta signing a document in his office Pulse Live Kenya

In 2020, Odinga revealed that he was worth Sh2 billion, which is Sh1 billion less than what the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said was found in just one of the Kenyatta family’s offshore investment portfolios.

"They are saying Raila Odinga is so rich... so very rich... which is not true. I am worth about two billion shillings," Raila told NTV.

Speaking on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s inclusion in the list of world leaders with offshore accounts, Odinga said he would wait for the head of state to make his statement after returning from the Americas.

“I am optimistic that the truth on Pandora Papers will come out. Uhuru has already welcomed the findings, and is ready to comprehensively address the matter when he returns to Kenya from his foreign trip,” the former prime minister said.