Is Kenyan’s love for Obama blinding them from the real issues at the Global Entrepreneur Summit (GES)?

President Obama’s recent visit to Kenya left many observers with one big unanswered question. Is Kenyan’s love for Obama blinding them from the real issues at the Global Entrepreneur Summit (GES)? I dare say it is. The media circus around Obama’s visit to Kenya epitomized a blind acceptance of everything the President of the United States (POTUS) highlighted about Kenya. This takes away from a critical analysis of the pressing issues facing the country.

Firstly, while much was said about Obama’s drive for renewable energy in Kenya, nobody questioned this reasoning. It will principally be American companies benefitting from the development of this renewable energy as they have the technology to exploit it. Kenya has vast amounts of traditional fossil fuels including oil and coal. Nothing was said using American technology to exploit these abundant and cheap natural resources recently discovered in Kenya. America is a superpower based on its exploitation of traditional fossil fuels. It’s only natural Kenya advance a narrative to exploit its own fossil fuels.

Secondly, while Obama is of Kenyan ancestry, he is NOT a Kenyan. He is an American president that places American interests above all else. In this respect, there is little clarity on the form and nature of American support to Kenya’s “War on Terror”. For instance, to what extent will American aid to the Kenyan government on surveillance affect the civil rights and liberties of Kenyans in Kenya?

What checks are in place to prevent the abuse of this surveillance by the state? Also, what is the nature of American aid to Kenya in Somalia? How long will Kenyan troops be in Somalia? Lastly, is Kenya acting as a proxy for American hegemony in Somalia and the wider East African region? I think it is.

In relation to the GES, I would have liked to hear more on the protection of the intellectual property rights of young Kenyan entrepreneurs at the summit. At present, there is nothing to stop a US millionaire stealing the idea of a Kenyan entrepreneur, getting a patent for it in America and using it to make billions of dollars. These sort of issues were lost in the funfair over “Obama’s Beast” and “Kidero’s Grass”.

While it is good to have a visit from a foreign dignitary, Kenyans should never forget to advocate for their own best interests at all times. Blind recitals of “Yes We Can” only leads to “Change We Cannot Believe in”!