Former US president Obama in low-key arrival

President Uhuru Kenyatta with formerUS President Barack Obama when he paid him a courtesy call at State House, Nairobi.

Former US President Barack Obama landed in Nairobi yesterday with little to indicate the erstwhile most powerful man in the world was visiting his father's ancestral land.

There were no people lining up along Mombasa Road to catch a glimpse of his convoy, no billboards announcing his coming on the streets of Nairobi, no major disruption of traffic along the busy road and no group of top government officials to receive him at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

It was a rather hushed reception. The visit sharply contrasts with his 2015 tour when he visited the country as sitting President. There was complete shutdown of sections of city roads and a public holiday to boot.

That visit was historic with every moment closely scrutinised as top Government officials led by President Uhuru Kenyatta – and a host of Cabinet secretaries – lined up to receive him at the airport.

But in this latest visit, Obama arrived so quietly that even some security officers at JKIA said they were not aware he had landed and left for State House.

His plane touched down at 1pm and he exited in the company of his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and her family, and Obama Foundation staff members.

Momentarily disrupted

On arrival he was met by his sister Auma Obama, CS Foreign Affairs Monica Juma, US Ambassador Bob Godec, Executive Chairperson Gina Din Group Gina Din Kariuki, MD Gina Din Group Lorna Irungu-Macharia and General Manager Security Services of Kenya Airports Authority Brig. Gen. (Rtd) George Kabugi 
 
After pleasantries, Obama left for State House for a meeting with Uhuru. He later met ODM leader Raila Odinga at Kempinski Hotel.

Details of the meeting also remained scanty as a contingent of security officers deployed at the hotel turned away journalists.

A youth group from Nairobi slums - Ghetto Classics - was lined up to entertain Obama at Kempinski.

Traffic flow at JKIA was momentarily disrupted when Obama was leaving for State House via Mombasa Road in a convoy of about 15 vehicles. Earlier, there were reports that he was to be received by Deputy President William Ruto, who spent his morning hours at a church in Kayole.

There was also no media excitement about the visit in yet another sharp contrast to his previous visit. A handful of journalists who turned up at JKIA were blocked at the facility’s entrance.