Obama-mania in Kenya village
Excitement has gripped the small village of Kogelo in western Kenya as their famous son, former US President Barack Obama, visits after 12 years.
(AFP PHOTO / TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images)
He last visited his ancestral village in 2006 when he was a US senator.
Mr Obama arrived in the country on Sunday and is set to inaugurate a youth project run by his sister.
Known as the Sauti Kuu Foundation, it will be a sports facility and vocational training centre.
The former US president made a low key arrival to the East African nation compared to his visit in 2015 when he was still in office.
He met Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in the capital, Nairobi:
According to local media, a security cordon has been put in place but it has not deterred local traders from selling commemorative merchandise, which include US flags.
Another issue that has got Kenya’s talking is the report in Tanzanian newspapers that Mr Obama and his family spent eight days in the famous Serengeti National Park before travelling to Kenya.
The BBC’s Business Editor shared a tweet showing the newspaper headlines which some Kenyans see as Tanzanians gloating:
Tanzanian papers say Barack Obama spent 8-day holiday at the country’s world-famous Serengeti National Park. The former US president is in Kenya today and then heads to South Africa pic.twitter.com/llDZof15EB
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) July 16, 2018
Mr Obama will be heading to South Africa after his Kenya visit to give the annual Mandela Day lecture on Tuesday. BBC News
