K'ogelo village backs Hillary Clinton in mock US elections

As Americans prepare to vote in the presidential elections in November, K’ogelo village, the ancestral home of outgoing President Barack Obama, is preparing for mock elections.

Almost all the residents of the village who spoke to The Standard on Sunday said they would  vote for Hillary Clinton. She is the candidate of the Democratic Party and has received overwhelming support from President Obama.

But there are divisions within the family on which candidate to support to take over from Barack. President Obama’s brother — Malik Obama — last month sensationally declared support for Republican candidate Donald Trump.

“The entire K’ogelo village is supporting Mrs Clinton who has stood with our son Barack throughout his tenure. As the 53rd state of the US, we will vote for her,” said Nicholas Rajula. “We expect Mr Malik to exercise his democratic right by coming to vote for Trump in the mock elections.”

Two comedians — Lawrence Oyange and Milton Obote — who organised the US mock elections in 2008 in Kisumu, have confirmed they will do it again in November.

In 2008, the duo created a scene that attracted hundreds of people after they organised two polling booths each bearing the pictures of the candidates; John McCain and Barack Obama.

With improvised cartons as ballot boxes, the two took strategic positions outside the Jomo Kenyatta grounds. While Mr Oyange acted as Obama’s agent, Obote stood in for McCain. Mr Obama’s queue grew longer as McCain’s had no voters. At the end of the mock exercise, Obama won with a landslide, sparking celebrations from his admirers.