To those hailing from Western Province, there's absolutely NO explanation needed here as to who on earth I may be talking about, but for those of you from further afield who may be slightly lost, I am speaking of none other than Senator Barrack Obama.
To a lot of Kenyans (especially those from the lakeside), Senator Obama is nothing less than 100% Kenyan. His father came from here so that'll do it for us. The fact that the Senator has only actually visited this country three times in his entire lifetime is totally irrelevant, and the point that he hardly knew his father who is reported to have been a drunk and abusive husband is somehow totally overlooked.
I think this quote from Rob Crilly in "The Times" really sums up this Obama fever here in Kenya and what it's really all about ...... (a spot of cash and a free US visa);
"A steady stream of would-be economic migrants has been arriving at Granny Sarah's door seeking an American visa. Almost every day she has to explain that the U.S. embassy in Nairobi is the only place that can make their American dream come true. But even Granny Sarah admits to harbouring secret hopes of a local windfall if Obama's momentum carries him all the way to America's highest office. "What we hope is that with his Kenyan and Africa roots we will see some of the fruits of his power, like electricity, water and a new road," she says simply in her native Luo language."
At least she got herself an autographed picture...By the way,"Granny Sarah" is actually Obama's step-grandmother and his grandfather's third wife. And the fact that she lives in a little house in a very small village looking after chickens and goats, has no running water or electricity, and it was her fellow villagers who raised money to get her a TV with a small solar panel so that she could keep up with US politics is of course of no matter now that young Barry's got a shot at the most powerful position in the world!
Hey, perhaps he'll chuck some extra aid money our way as payment for bringing up his father. I'm sure our local politicians could do with a bit more cash to squander on their expense accounts.
21 comments:
How about Kenya becoming US territory, like Puerto Rico? Exposing crooked politicians is a popular pastime in the US, so some of your local fat cats might end up in handcuffs.
There is more buzz around Kisumu City (which has conveniently been re-named Illinois) . . .you see, people are figuring that if Obama takes this thing and then we have Otieno Kajwang as Immigration Minister, the whole of Nyanza can ship out to the US!
Is glas iad na cnoic i bhfad uainn - an old Irish saying.
But when you get to those faraway hills you realise they're not as green as they seemed from a distance. With hard work, where you were could have been just as fertile.
i just saw a photo of Obama with his wife next to an old VW Beetle in Kenya.http://bp2.blogger.com/_nafs95gCnMk/SEaFdhb8uqI/AAAAAAAAASA/aT9zzW2C4u0/s1600/Obama.jpg.very nice.
He has also ridden in those "box" matatus and someone gave him a hen to hold. Real international experience!!!
joe
I think you meant Nyanza province!
:)
Mr Bananas - being a US territory somehow gives me nightmares of colonial times of old, so perhaps not the best plan, although I totally endorse their policy of putting fatcats in handcuffs!
Willpress - I understand that Barry's first 'thing to do' for us will be to make Kisumu into the International hub for Africa!
Primal - have to agree with you there. Think we're much better off here than in the States personally.
Joe - love it!
Anon - Nyanza province it is!
so you are a a Brit. who moved to Kenya. Did it occur to you that most Kenyans know that there is no human being who is color white? If you have doubts, try a little harmless experiment by taking white paper and compare to find out. How about beings a little respectful given that they are accommodating enough to let you live among them? And if you think it's that important to you that you call yourself white, why are you in Kenya? Or have it occurred to you that only hollow human beings find petty excuses for cover up? TRUST ME you are a shade of brown and not white! all human being are actually one color-brown...the shades differ. UNLESS U MEAN SOMETHING ELSE? Be nice and Obama's grandma may not have electricity etc...but I am sure she has never asked you to put food on her table. Besides wealth is relative. My advice to you is..be appreciative &thankful for the hospitality the Kenyan people have accorded you or you take your bigoted ideas back to Britain/Europe.
Anonymous - thanks for the racist comments, although generally we like to keep them off this page so you can go find yourself somewhere else to write your nonsense. Your advice is worthless actually as I am not British or European and sadly for you am actually KENYAN myself, so do please wind your neck in and HAVE A NICE DAY :)
Isn't it funny how people can get so riled about inoffensive observations?
And isn't it convenient that they can post their bigotry under the anonymous banner?
Oh well, that's what makes the world go round.
For the record, despite the warts (and what country doesn't have them?) I prefer Kenya to any other country I have visited. It is not the fabulous scenery, the animals, but the people that makes Kenya so attractive (well, except for a few narrow-minded bigots, that is).
DM
To the anon. above.....dude...take a chill pill.
@mzunguchick: I'll have you know I've already booked my ticket for the States in December this year and I'll not bother applying for a visa because you see Barry's father's god-mother in law was my auntie's tailor's favorite customer. 6 degrees of separation. See you in Chicago next year!
MZUNGU CHICK,
Don't worry about ANONYMOUS, He must be Nigerian. I know he's definitely not kenyan.
It's weird that people-non-kenyans have no idea of how diverse kenya is. Yes we have black majority but there's also white, indian, arab,europeans, italians( in malindi) etc.
people need to have open minds
DM - funny isn't it how bigotry thrives under the ANONYMOUS banner :)
ANd you're right - the majority of Kenyan people are the nicest, most generous people you are ever likely to meet.
Wildeyearnings - "BUT DO I SAY!"
Catch you in Chicago Cousin ..
He He x
Lone Ranger - WIth you there. Open minds are so much more fun...
Posting a comment on one's feelings doesn't mean that i. one is not kenyan (@lone ranger, kenyans DO have voices, and DO speak when they want to,not just 'nigerians' you moron or ii. one is a racist.
So, Mzungu Chick, you are a bitch, and not only that, a dumb jungu bitch.
It is because of racists like you who figure that anything half-'white' is not'white', that we claim Obama for ourselves.So scrawl back to your hole and let America have one of the best leaders it ever had. You're just sad that he ain't brit now, aren't you. And by the way, regarding the scenario of Obama's father as "an abuser",well, there are two sides to that - and Obama has already clearly illustrated them in two books.Knowing the need for drama and self-pity of "white" women like you,who often use "black" men as a scapegoat for their own failures, a lot has been corrected about the scenario you just painted about Obama's father, shame on you. So get your "mzungu chick" ass outta here and learn to be truthful and respectful, like "Anon" correctly pointed out.I think the hot menopausal flashes and mid-life crisis are getting to you and you need a breather. Old British women fo tend to be bitchy, irritable and racist around that age, as you have typically demonstrated. My father has worked around lots.We know.
Another old, fretting, friggin' Brit bitch. (use the words, you may). Btw, I'm an Indian born in Kenya.
@ "Dad Mzungu"
You really do run to "mzungu chick"'s rescue each time, don't you. The woman is old, can she not speak for herself? Are her intellectual/maturity/speech capacities not enough to defend herself, or is it just because you're "both wazungus"? Or maybe you're just related and clearly no one else is there defending her dim views?
Typical of "mzungus" people to hang onto each other like a pack of rats, and attack anything that does not coincide with their views. How typical of you to call others exactly what you are- a bigot. Remember, you are the ones who set yourselves apart and identified yourselves as "zungus", not anybody else. And by the way, your "reminders" of "how nice we are"- is a failed attempt to make us accept your shallow opinions on African people, Your opinions as a Brit on "how nice we are" also don't count on the number of tourists we'll get this year. So stick to your ancient, morphed, need-new heart-and-kidney sense and let "mzungu chick" be the only racist here.I could be wrong,(having only read one entry of yours for judgement),but your entry seems to be from a well-balanced guy (who tried matatus! Hm, for a stuffy Brit,not the bitter, fat, horse-riding elitist -truly lost- type that "mzungu chick" has indicated to be).Good for you & keep it that way.
@ "Mzungu chick".
If your disparaging remarks on African men (forget that white men kill/maim and destroy their own women-and all women indeed- and the planet daily, who are you to criticize them)and people in general, I will start a petition to rid you off this web ring,avoid us all the sore sight of your title on the front pages of a Kenyan Owned, and proudly operated webring. Take it as a threat, especially since you've made it clear that you don't find yourself to be African. Take your insults somewhere else, there are plenty of white-supremacist british websites you can adhere your sticky personality to.Trust an attention-starved white supremacist chick to catch an audience and turn attention to herself and her causes. It is not the first time is it? Be respectful and stop.
woo woo! Lets Get R Done! Anyway Lost White Chick...sorry you're lost..(just playin')....interesting view you present..... I am from the lake side though I live in the US and Obama train is all over the world, from Africa to Indonasia, to the U.S of A, not only in Kenya!
-Call me PV
MC I know this takes a chunk of time plus a thick skin BUT I highly suggest you moderate your comments. Otherwise these internet trolls will not resist inundating your 'comments' with profanity.
Just a suggestion.
i suggest we let people enjoy the moment. whether its foolish or not. normally its a bad thing to be the only negative voice in the time of joy. it reminds me of the sleeping beauty fairy tale. only one fairy gave a -ve prophecy.
secondly, let me point out to you that the luo tribe/people are very patriarchal and kids belong to the dad whether he is there or not, whether he accepts them or not. so obama according to the LUO is luo. even if he was named barry white and never visited kenya nor knew his dad, to us by our culture he would still be as luo as Raila. se condly we never go to the lengths of checking out issues of step-grandmother or real grandmother. in fact anyone related to your dad in a motherly lineage is your mother/grandmother.
Thirdly, Luos are found mostly in Nyanza and not western province. if you are Kenyan, it would help to at least know the provinces!
finally, the fantasy in Nyanza and Nigeria about the obama phenomena is no different from the hero worship prevalent in US, UK and other western nations. over there pple worship sportsmen, entertainers, rich dudes, beauty models and the like. Africans should therefore be allowed to celebrate this moment. this moment, apart from its historic value is very symbolic. its showing that Africans and indeed luos who have been sidelined and marginalized can achieve acceptance and leadership.
Per a few folks above, Lost White Chick forget these xenophobes/racists! Tell them to pick on someone else their size (dimunitive at that)! :)
As a black kenyan chick, I could not agree more with your views. I do think it's a bit laughable that there are those in kenya that still believe in the "monetary trickle down effect" now from Obama in the US! I realize that many have lost faith in their leaders with all the empty promises over the years. But they've got to "demand" what's due to them - not wait for handouts!
There's no doubt that we are witnessing a historical moment here in the US and with a great deal of cheering on from the rest of the world. But folks need to keep it all in perspective. Let his successes be tied to his work and accomplishments and let's not only focus on his ethnicity/skin color etc. He does represent a change that's badly needed and I would think that would be the motiviation in Kenya - that he is the new face of politics, what we also so badly need out there!
You bet the kenyans here kissing your ass are those poor ones based in kenya,cos diasporans are no longer impressed with anything with a 'mzungu' on it,or even less kiss its ass, just cos there are a lot of 'mizungus' around them and they know so much better. Kenyans based in kenya only make strategic friendships,mark you, esp. if living in the kind of desperation that is there right now -and you seem to be 'a rich mzungu'.It will show itself in time. That's all. Good luck.
mioley
@ Odegle - the evil fairy- heh heh, that's v. wise, i'llprobably use it somewhere, couldn't agree more.
Yeah, and this dad mzungu is not a kenya,or even based in kenya, but a loser that lives in Brito writing about kenya and kenyans,he really doesn't hav a life. Anyways,i've checked his blog(like one post) and he writes for old wazees white like him who need to feel superior so being keddo 20sth,and african, i am highly disinterested in anything he chooses to write as 'a dad muzungu', and i don't know why he writes it here. See, i even chose to combine his comment here rather than waste my time going back there.Someone should indeed see how he actually treats africans on the ground, might be yet another expatriate mistreating kenyans yet on a stolen visa.He's more lost than this 'lost white bla bla' Obama! Obama!
Anon- gotta love it.
I did not see any bigoted comments here. People act as though they haven't been to you tube where there are about 10-1000 vitriolic comments per video with a Black person in them from white people- why not go there and spurn those instead,cos no one else is? Or even mashada where even as i look at it now,no one raises a whisper when vitriolic tribal things are said.So what hypocrites are we? A mzungu said 'ng'we' and kenyans came running like true homeguards.
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