Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga credited Gordon Brown on Wednesday with helping to start the process that resolved the east African country's bloody crisis after its presidential election last December.

The disputed election led to two months of violence in which about 1,500 people were killed and more than 300,000 made homeless.

Peace was restored with the formation of a coalition government between President Mwai Kibaki and Odinga's former opposition party.

"Unknown to many people, it was Prime Minister Gordon Brown who started up the process of negotiations through phone calls, one to me, the other to President Kibaki, during which he asked us to agree that he could play a role behind the scenes to broker negotiations," Odinga said, after talks with Brown at his Downing Street office in London.

"That phone call is what started it all off, ending up with the establishment of a panel of eminent persons led by the former U.N. Secretary-General Dr. Kofi Annan.

"That panel presided over the negotiations that ended up with the signing of the peace accord in our country, and the formation of a grand coalition government," he added.

Odinga, who will later attend a meeting designed to stimulate investment in Kenya, said his country needed trade and investment and was open for business.

"Kenya is not coming with a begging basket," he argued.

Brown said Kenya still faced challenges, such as tackling corruption, but added: "I am convinced by my talks today that Kenya's leaders have the will and determination to take all the steps necessary and I applaud their commitment."