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Kenya: Obama Cannot Be More Kenyan Than the Kenyans
allAfrica.com
Allan Brian Ssenyonga
9/1/2012
Excerpt:
"A few years back, Barack Obama became the buzz word all over the world. In Africa and East Africa to be precise, Obama was more of an epidemic. People of all ages got to know who he was, his relatives and so much more. Eventually, he got the world's most coveted job and made history as America's first black leader.
Songs were made about Obama, children were named after him, matatus in Kenya had his face and in Kampala a brand of chapattis - Obama chapatti -became a top-selling delicacy among city dwellers. The fact that Obama's father was Kenyan was used as a justification for East Africans to obsess and 'own' him.
However, our ownership of the most powerful man has not paid off quite well since he has not even visited his home country during his four years as American president. Now he is back to the vote hunting trip and although our excitement about him has waned a little many people around here still prefer him back in office and not Mitt Romney.
In fact some don't even know that he is up against anyone in this election. All they know is that he is trying to keep his job and they are cheering him on. There are others who are keenly following the US elections on a day to day basis and posting on Facebook or Twitter every twist in the race.
Just like the English Premier League football, we now have a crop of East Africans who know so much about what is happening in the US and what it means you may think they are working for the American embassies here. After all, it is important for them to know the fate and chances of their Kenyan brother Barry.
What some of these people forget is that actually, Barack Obama is not more Kenyan than the Kenyans. Just like the Americans, the Kenyans will also have a general election coming up in the near future and in my view it has more impact on the lives of the East Africans than that of the Americans."
(bold emphasis added in the above paragraphs)
.............................
View the complete article at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201209020090.html
allAfrica.com
Allan Brian Ssenyonga
9/1/2012
Excerpt:
"A few years back, Barack Obama became the buzz word all over the world. In Africa and East Africa to be precise, Obama was more of an epidemic. People of all ages got to know who he was, his relatives and so much more. Eventually, he got the world's most coveted job and made history as America's first black leader.
Songs were made about Obama, children were named after him, matatus in Kenya had his face and in Kampala a brand of chapattis - Obama chapatti -became a top-selling delicacy among city dwellers. The fact that Obama's father was Kenyan was used as a justification for East Africans to obsess and 'own' him.
However, our ownership of the most powerful man has not paid off quite well since he has not even visited his home country during his four years as American president. Now he is back to the vote hunting trip and although our excitement about him has waned a little many people around here still prefer him back in office and not Mitt Romney.
In fact some don't even know that he is up against anyone in this election. All they know is that he is trying to keep his job and they are cheering him on. There are others who are keenly following the US elections on a day to day basis and posting on Facebook or Twitter every twist in the race.
Just like the English Premier League football, we now have a crop of East Africans who know so much about what is happening in the US and what it means you may think they are working for the American embassies here. After all, it is important for them to know the fate and chances of their Kenyan brother Barry.
What some of these people forget is that actually, Barack Obama is not more Kenyan than the Kenyans. Just like the Americans, the Kenyans will also have a general election coming up in the near future and in my view it has more impact on the lives of the East Africans than that of the Americans."
(bold emphasis added in the above paragraphs)
.............................
View the complete article at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201209020090.html