Kenya PM defends 'odd marriage'

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Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has defended the power-sharing government and blamed the judiciary and police for continued corruption.

Many Kenyans are losing faith in the unity administration set up a year ago but Mr Odinga said it was impossible to "undo the ills of 45 years" so quickly.

He said the agreement had always been a "marriage of an odd couple".

Mr Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki agreed to share power to end violent unrest after disputed 2007 elections.

Both men have pledged to fight the corruption which has plagued Kenya for many years but their administration has recently been beset by allegations of graft.

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Meanwhile, Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai said four human rights activists had fled the country and others were in hiding because they feared for their safety.

Earlier this month, two activists who had accused the police of extra-judicial killings were shot dead in the capital, Nairobi.

They had testified to a UN enquiry into the police and Ms Maathai said all those who had helped with the report were now being silenced.

Mr Odinga said the government was doing its best to tackle corruption but it was held back by the judiciary and police.

"I have no time for corruption. Neither does President Kibaki, and we both intend to continue leading by example.

"But no-one can wave a magic wand and suddenly free our society from the corruption scourge."

He said corruption cases had been deliberately delayed to protect those accused.

"It is a pathetic record by the attorney general's office and the entire judicial system," Reuters news agency reports him saying.

"We cannot hope to contain corruption while our judicial system is so inadequate."