Kenya: Tobacco Board Lauds BAT Bribery Expose, Cites Control Hurdles

Source from:  The Star 12/08/2015

The BBC's expose on claims of bribery at BAT has confirmed suspicions of unethical activities, the Tobacco Control Board chairman has said.

Peter Odhiambo lauded the network's Panorama programme for investigating the allegations against British American Tobacco and "sharing findings as found".

Odhiambo further lauded whistleblower Paul Hopkins for naming those allegedly frustrating and interfering with Kenya's tobacco control measures.

"Hopkin's claim that 'BAT is bribing people, and I'm facilitating it' is an ultimate confession and explains why and how the board has continued to encounter hurdles in its quest to implement tobacco control measures to protect public health," he said in a statement on Monday.

"The facts of this confession must be taken very seriously bearing in mind that Tobacco Control Act 2007 took more than 13 years to pass, largely due to intimidation and interference from the tobacco industry."

Hopkins shared hundreds of the company's secret documents resulting in the BBC investigation.

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula was mentioned as one of the MPs who allegedly received favours from BAT when he was Trade minister.

Former BAT lobbyist Adell-Owino allegedly requested the purchase of a business-class ticket in July 2012 for the Senator to attend the London Olympics.

The BBC said an email indicated he would be hosted at Globe House which is BAT's London headquarters, but Wetang'ula denied knowing the location.

He also denied knowledge of the emails when contacted by Panorama, saying he was "shocked and upset", and would take legal action against anybody circulating the "crude" rumour.

The Senator further threatened to sue BBC if it does not apologise for causing him "great distress" and "irreparably damaging his hard-earned reputation". Enditem