Jonathan Clayton in Nairobi
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Barack Obama’s traumatised and frightened Kenyan relatives prayed for peace in their homeland yesterday — and for their favourite son to win in tomorrow’s New Hampshire primary.
Nearly all the village of Kongelo, the presidential candidate’s impoverished ancestral home in western Kenya, trooped to makeshift local churches.
“It is calm here, we have been lucky but we are all praying for peace elsewhere in Kenya and we know Barack is thinking of us even though he is very busy right now,” said his Uncle, Said Obama, 41, the brother of Barack Obama Sr who left Kenya to study in America.
Kongelo, a remote Aids-ravaged, dirt-poor hamlet of brick houses with corrugated iron roofs, where barefoot children, goats and hens roam free, was spared the ethnic-strife that has seen 375 killed and tens of thousands forced to leave their homes.
The village, which Mr Obama last visited in 2006, is some 45 miles west of the industrial town of Kisumu, nestling on the edge of Lake Victoria, where angry Luo youths turned on their Kikuyu neighbours who tended to support their fellow Kikuyu and “victor”, the incumbent President Mwai Kibaki.
Like nearly all the other residents of Kongelo, Barack Obama Sr, who died in a car accident in 1982, was a Luo. However, some of the men in the village have married women from of Kenya’s other 41 tribes, including Kikuyus.
“Here there is no trouble, we are all going to Church together. The worst of the violence is in the towns,” explained Said Obama. “We heard Barack has appealed for calm and we know he is right; nothing can be gained by Kenyan turning on Kenyan.”
The village is probably the only one in Kenya that boasts more election posters of Mr Obama than it does of the rival Kenyan candidates. The home of Sarah Onyango Obama, 85, Barack Obama’s grandmother, is plastered with photographs of her famous grandson’s successes, most recently his election as Senator of Illinois.
“Sarah is fine. God blessed us that no one in the village was caught up in this violence. Now we are just praying for Barack’s success . . . even if we never get a Luo in Kenya’s State House, we may have one soon in the White House.
“We are praying for that so our politicians here can have a real role model and see what they should do.”
Mr Obama enraged Kenyan politicians on his last visit by accusing them of dragging the continent backwards with poor government and corruption — the reason for the strong showing of Mr Odinga who alleges the Kenyan President and his supporters rigged the ballot when they realised they were losing.
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Are they all muslims?
Alexandra, Mallorca, Spain
Crying on cue? When "DD" Myers from the White House steps up to defend it, you can be sure somethings up. Stop, Hey, Whats that sound? Every look whats going Down
Bill Mason, Chocorua, USA NH
Hello to ALL Africans, Greetings from the White Mountains of New Hampshire! I know you are not losing HOPE for Peace. I was slightly hurt to hear a Kenyan person say on OUR CNN that results in our election here in NH were Rigged. But I am streetwise, and I know ,there is a Good Thing Happening Here In America. The GOOD news is that it will undoubtedly have an effect on the Whole world. Here are my thoughts; After Watching and Listening to my FEW trusted news sources Closely. Rewinding some segments Repeatedly in order to decipher the TRUTH. l believe,after all the Crying and Lying, that some Professional American journalists cant help but love Obama, and it shows. Peace.
Bill Mason, Chocorua, USA NH
How can our government criticise this when Gordon Brown undertook a Coup dâétat in the Uk without anyone voting for a labour party led by him and consequentially his postion as prime minster or for that matter what about GW and the debacle over dints on ballot papers, how democratic was that, was that a stollen election.
Its about time the press fought for our democracy as hard as they fight for soft targets like Kenya,
Howabout a campaign for a change to our law so that if a prime minister leaves his post then the party in power must go back to the country for a mandate. Dont let brown hide behind a bad law.
Julian Randall, Lymington, hants
Mr. Tim,
Mr. Obama's mother is dead. She passed away from ovarian cancer.
-Will
Will Smith, Los Angeles, USA / CA
The Media ,as usual,didn't show his mothers side of his life ...She , being white,is something that they seem to like to hide...naaahhh....Mr Barack Obama's 'youth years' seems to be overlooked....humm....Is he a 'duel' citizen..???..That's a no,no for President...questions,questions...!!!
Mr Tim, San Marcos, U S of A/ Ca
Just leave reckless man(kibaki) who staged a coup in kenya and now he thinks the world is comprised of foolish people like him.
sam, leeds, wyorkshire
The Kenyan people love Obama. There he has an almost Ghandi like status which is why the leaders were so hurt by his prophetic comments about corruption dragging the country backwards. I hope he finds a day or two to travel to Kenya to personaly ask for calm.
Adam Schifter, Waltham, USA
I' from Canada and trying to get all information about this man. By their fruits you will know themsays the Bible ,and I do think that this man is of God for America. He willseek peace in countries as he has in Kenya and this is what America wants .To follow the statues of God ,for ones country to be seeking peace and love for one another, and this is what I believe this great young man is doing.
F, follett, st. john's nl., CANADA
The allegations by the kenyan opposition of massive rigging were backed up by statements by commissioners of the electoral commission. Proof was also produced by returning officers at various polling stations. What the international community can accomplish at this point is for the international observers who were present, to come forward and report any irregularities that were witnessed so as to pave the way for the court proceedings that will resolve the stalemate. Otherwise innocent kenyans will continue dying.
How can President Kibaki explain the fact that 21 ex-cabinet ministers lost their parliamentary seats in the recently concluded polls and yet he managed to emerge victorious over the opposition?
Christine C.K, Kigali, Rwanda, Rwanda
Mr.Barak Obama is perhaps the best candidate for President of U.S. We hope he will bring about the "change" he istalking about on all front including the foreign policy and goodwill towards the rest of the World. May God Bless him.
Sanjeevi, C.N., Chennai, India