For four days, in Kogelo, the hometown of Barack Obama's father deep in western Kenya, already celebrated. Loads of flows has been renamed the warm beer that Kenya's largest brewer of the occasion of "Senator" in "President". In Kogelo course that does not matter: Here you order at the counter for months with the saying "An Obama, please."
dozens of camera crews from around the world have come to follow the party in Kogelo. "Kenya is a very corrupt country, a country with no future, with much suffering and hunger", as shall respond Gregory, who lives in Kogelo, and his voice squeaks out of sheer exuberance. "If Obama is sworn in as U.S. president, will change;. He is from here, he will help us" Obama will change all of Kenya, believes the young people, and finally bring development and prosperity of the country.
With such expectations Gregory is not alone. "His blood is from here, from this country," says living in the capital Nairobi Julia Karimi. "We do not expect that he will be president of Kenya, but he should do something to make our lives better. "
If there were not already a Swahili word for hope," Obama 'best chance would have it. emblazoned everywhere in Kenya, the smiling face of the shining light from overseas. In T-shirts and buses, on house walls and the colorful Kangas, the traditional cloth worn especially on the coast "Congratulations Barack Obama," as including "You are the will of God."
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After the bloody riots last year, of which Kenya has not recovered, the Ehrenkenianer one of the last hope, finds the young Masai woman Shirleen Ilante. She hopes that Kenya of Obama learns example: "Our politicians have to give up their selfishness, we need selfless leaders like Obama," she says. Above all, Kenya must learn that now is the young generation's turn. "Obama's message to the whole of Africa and Kenya is in particular: the old guard to stop and finally we give young people a chance."
that take the way are the charges of corruption and abuse of Kenyan politicians believe an example, of course, not everyone. A student at Nairobi University who just wants Anthony to be called, is skeptical. "I feel Obama's inauguration, to be honest not really care," he railed. "It may well be that he is of African origin and I, too, but his country is not my country. "Kenya is believed Anthony, should tackle their problems themselves, rather than to hope for a president in faraway Washington.
Anthony's criticism is aimed directly to a delegation led by Kenya's Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula, that came yesterday in Washington - uninvited on Wetangulas request was the U.S. embassy to know cool that other states are at the swearing traditionally been represented only by their ambassadors holding the ministerial roster not stop them, but to fly to Washington.. . A scandal, finds the former deputy minister and civil rights, Kalembe Ndile. "This is an incredible waste of taxpayer money that the Minister, the swearing can ultimately only view on the hotel room "in his rage turned Ndile the foreign minister last week, a TV in front of his door - as a gift." Let him look at the spectacle here, it's cheaper for us all, "
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as invited guests of honor in Washington only a few Kenyan nationals Obama there -.. especially Obama's grandmother Sarah "This is the day that I've been waiting for months," the 87-year-old said shortly before her departure in Nairobi, "I can to know that I very much am very happy. "It is the second time that Sarah Obama travels to her grandchildren in the United States. At his swearing in as Senator from Illinois to the Obama She had also been invited, they can still remember well: "Far too cold it was!". As a gift grandmother Obama has the trappings of power in the luggage as we know it in western Kenya: a three-legged stool, a sign and a fan of goat hair to scare away flies. "I also wanted to bring him a spear, but I was told that I am not from the security must take into the plane."
For the majority of Kenyans can only dream of Washington, the swearing is simply a day of rejoicing. "This is like Christmas and New Year's Eve together, the party of the century," says the 31-year-old gardener Milton, who, like Obama's Kenyan father to Luo ethnic group and is usually working in the embassy district. Although Kenya's government this time, unlike the day after Obama's election, declared no holiday, but has for the ceremony, Milton took a couple of his few holidays. The high cost of travel from Nairobi to Kisumo he liked wearing: "This is it worth it." Because nowhere is Obama on Tuesday celebrated as much as in western Kenya, in the "Luoland.
In Kisumu are in the biggest stadium in the city, several large screens will be set up, can track up to 100 to 000 guests, the ceremony without jostling. In Kakamega, the second largest city in the region, more than 50 000 visitors to the transfer expected, which is accompanied by a live concert. Booms from the speakers there again and again the anthem, the Kenyan musician Onyi wrote Papa Jey: "Obama, the son of our people," he sings, and the bass rumbles to deep. "Friend who is committed to his roots in Kenya."
In addition, the dusty provincial town, traveled for the party, the South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka Star. But the real star of the evening, as the visitors are in agreement, is also visible in Kakamega only on the screen. While Obama speaks to silence the musicians and listen attentively to the words from the distant America.
(Copyright Berliner Zeitung, 01.21.2009)
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