A man reads of Obama's victory in Nairobi, Kenya. The
headline reads, 'Yes, Obama.' Kenyans are ecstatic.
Kenya Times, Kenya
Western Kenya
'Explodes' After Obama Victory
"We as a
family are thrilled to be directly related to a man who has not only made a
major achievement, but has also made history."
-- Said Obama, Barack Obama's
Uncle
"It's
unbelievable! This shows that Kenya is a great place; a great country. God has
blessed this country. Senator Obama is already the next U.S. President."
-- Bishop Beneah Salalah of the Anglican Church of Kenya
"We know he
will go ahead and be elected President of the United States. The American
citizens have shown that they don't see race or tribe in someone, but his or
her leadership qualities. Africans should learn from this."
-- Kakamega Mayor Joe Serenge
"We are
strongly behind him and we urge Americans to go ahead and elect him their
President."
-- Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello
June 5, 2008
Kenya
Times - Kenya - Original Article (English)
ECSTATIC celebration
exploded in western Kenya and in most parts of the country, as international
broadcasters announced the victory of Illinois Senator Barrack Obama as the
presumptive presidential nominee for the Democratic Party ticket.
Senator Obama,
the son of Kenyan immigrant Barrack Obama Senior, entered the annals of history
as the first African-American to win the nomination of a major party in the
United States.
As the news
filtered in early yesterday morning, ecstatic and frenzied celebrations rocked Kisumu, Bondo, Kakamega, Eldoret and Mumias towns as residents poured into the streets.
President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga sent their
congratulations to the Illinois Senator for winning his party’s nomination and
running a fantastic campaign.
At Obama’s
ancestral home of Kogelo village, security was tight
as hundreds of residents of Siaya District and other
parts of Western and Nyanza provinces streamed in to
congratulate his elated grandmother, Sarah Hussein Obama.
In Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru , Nyeri and other urban areas,
news spread like a bush fire, with people congregating in small groups to
discuss how the country would benefit from an Obama Presidency.
The Kogelo homestead was a carnival of activity as gangs of
local and international journalists jostled for interviews with the "who's
who" within the Obama family.
Obama’s
grandmother, Mama Sarah, who had left the homestead early in the morning,
returned at about 2:30pm to a thunderous welcome from the overjoyed villagers
who had thronged her home. Although visibly excited with the latest
development, she declined to speak to journalists.
'Mama
Sarah' shows her colors in Kogelo village, Nyanza
Province.
After a two-hour
long insistence by journalists, Mama Sarah, through Obama junior’s uncle Said Obama, described the victory as "the beginning of good
things to come."
Mr. Said told
reporters: "Mama Sarah is excited with the latest development and only
hopes that it's the beginning of good things to come. She hopes that her
grandson will fight all the way to the White House."
He said the
family had remained awake the entore night to monitor
the nomination results on the Cable News Network (CNN).
"It's a
dream come true. I remember the last time he was here and he told us about the
seriousness with which he had taken to the campaign. We now believe his
words," said Barack's uncle Said.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Asked what they
expected an Obama presidency to mean to their family and Kenya at large, Said
quipped: "We expect nothing, but the historic part of it is what's
important. We as a family are thrilled to be directly related to a man who has
not only made a major achievement, but has also made history."
The news elicited
spontaneous discussion about the development of infrastructure that a Barack
Obama presidency might endow the region with. Most touted was the elevation of
the Kisumu Airport and inland harbor into
ultra-modern facilities - courtesy of American aid.
"It's
unbelievable! This shows that Kenya is a great place; a great country. God has
blessed this country. Senator Obama is already the next U.S. President,"
declared Bishop Beneah Salalah
of the Anglican Church of Kenya Mumias Diocese who
joined hundreds of local residents in celebrations in the town of Mumias.
Mumias is less than 30km from Alego Kogelo village in Siaya district, where Senator Obama’s father hailed from.
Political and
religious leaders, professionals and residents set aside their political
differences and held massive celebrations after learning of Obama’s victory in
the early hours of the morning.
Most in attendees
said they saw God’s hand in Obama’s victory over New York Senator Hillary
Rodham Clinton, and exuded confidence that he would go ahead and defeat
Republican candidate John McCain.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Kakamega Mayor Joe Serenge,
who led hundreds of area residents in celebrating Obama’s victory on the town’s
streets, said it was time for Kenyans and other Africans to unite over such a
rare achievement.
"We know he
will go ahead and be elected President of the United States. The American
citizens have shown that they don't see race or tribe in someone, but his or
her leadership qualities. Africans should learn from this," said Serenge, who is also Second Vice Chairman of the
Association of Local Government Authorities of Kenya.
Chairman of the Wareng County Council, Paul Kiprop,
who is also the councilor for Kaptagat Ward in the
Rift Valley Province, led residents of Eldoret in
frenzied demonstrations.
Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello
also joined town residents in celebrating the victory, which he said was not
only historic but also an indication that "Kenya is a great and blessed
country."
"We are
strongly behind him and we urge Americans to go ahead and elect him their
President," said Mayor Okello.
Bars and other
entertainment spots in the region remained full from morning, as some residents
absconded from their normal chores to party.
Talks of the
historic victory dominated people’s lips on streets, at workplaces, on farms
and in villages, as residents continued to discuss the matter the entire day.
In the United
States, after making history by capturing the Democratic nomination, Barack
Obama turns to the task of unifying a fractured party for a five-month battle
for the White House with Republican John McCain.
Rival Hillary
Clinton, the former first lady who entered the race 17 months ago as a heavy
favorite, wouldn't concede and said she would consult party leaders and
supporters to determine her next move.
Obama will be
crowned the Democratic nominee at the convention in August and will face McCain
in November’s election to choose a successor to President George W. Bush.
THE WORLD OPINES ON OBAMA:
ASIA
The Jakarta Post, Indonesia
For Indonesians,
Obama is 'Everyone's Son or Friend'
http://worldmeets.us/thejakartapost000003.shtml
EUROPE [from French, Spanish, German,
Portuguese]
Le
Figaro, France
Obama: One 'Cannot
Praise America Enough'
http://worldmeets.us/lefigaro0000216.shtml
Le
Monde, France
Regardless of Who Wins, the American
Exception is Eternal
http://worldmeets.us/challenges000001.shtml
Le
Monde, France
American
Elections: Cause for Hope and for Disappointment
http://worldmeets.us/lemonde0000176.shtml
Le
Monde, France
'Obamania Sweeps France'
http://worldmeets.us/lemonde0000175.shtml
Liberation,
France
Obama: 'A
Man Who Will Restore America's Image in the World'
http://worldmeets.us/liberation000102.shtml
Liberation,
France
If Barack Obama Becomes U.S. President …
http://worldmeets.us/liberation000103.shtml
Le
Figaro, France
Democrats
in France Impassioned Over Party Primary Race
http://worldmeets.us/lefigaro0000194.shtml
Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany
'Lincoln,
Kennedy, Obama'
http://worldmeets.us/frankfurterrundschau000020.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Obama's
Run: The 'Miracle' of America that Could Change the World
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000060.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Clinton
and Obama - Please Stop Them!
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000059.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
2008
a High-Stakes U.S. Election Year for Europe
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000048.shtml
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Hillary's
Quest: Between Tears and the Throne …
http://worldmeets.us/financialtimesdeutschland000050.shtml
La Stampa, Italy
At
Parade of Blacks, Boos for Hillary and Applause for Obama
http://worldmeets.us/lastampa000013.shtml
Diario Economico, Portugal
Definitively,
Barack Obama is the Candidate of Europe …
http://worldmeets.us/diarioeconomico000014.shtml
Diario Economico, Portugal
‘I Got a
Crush on Obama’
http://worldmeets.us/diarioeconomico000012.shtml
THE MIDDLE
EAST [from Arabic]
Al
Gomhuria, Egypt
Can a
Muslim-Born Negro Be America's President? ...
http://worldmeets.us/algomhuria000007.shtml
AFRICA
[English]
The Daily Nation, Kenya
Why Africa Exults at Obama's Victory
http://worldmeets.us/dailynationka000005.shtml
Liberal,
Cape Verde
Obama: Good Luck Handling the
'Pitfalls'
http://worldmeets.us/liberal000001.shtml
This
Day, Nigeria
How
Far Can Obama Go?
http://worldmeets.us/thisday000003.shtml
Business
Day, South Africa
Why
American Blacks May Be Obama's Great Problem
http://worldmeets.us/buisinessdaysa000001.shtml
LATIN
AMERICA [from Spanish]
BBC Brasil, Brazil
Obama's Victory: Reason to Believe in a Better World
...
http://worldmeets.us/bbcbrazil000003.shtml
Folha, Brazil
The
U.S. Presidential Election: The Greatest Show on Earth …
http://worldmeets.us/folha000004.shtml
Los Andes, Argentina
'Se Puede!'
http://worldmeets.us/losandes000002.shtml
Excelsior, Mexico
With Either Hillary or Obama, 'We All Win' ...
http://worldmeets.us/excelsior000011.shtml
El Tiempo, Colombia
What
Barack Obama Says About the United States …
http://worldmeets.us/eltiempo000045.shtml
El Tiempo, Colombia
What
Hillary Clinton Shows About the Status of Women
http://worldmeets.us/eltiempo000046.shtml
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US June
6, 1:54pm]
