Obama trip offers us chance to take forward our aspirations

Kisumu residents are enthusiastically waiting for Obama’s ‘second coming’. Billboard of former US President Barrack Obama has been put up next to Kisumu International Airport. [File, Standard]

A lot of things may be historic but former US President Barack Obama fourth visit to Kenya truly is.

By his own admission and without question, Kenya remains a country of immense personal importance to the US leader.

During his two-day visit starting today, Obama will head to Kogelo, his father Barack Obama Senior’s birth place, to open a youth centre sponsored by Sauti Kuu Foundation run by his sister Dr Auma Obama.

As the country welcomes its son ‘home’, this trip provides a fresh momentum to learn from Obama’s experience, while making us alive to the significance of Kenya’s relationship with the United States and the international community.

During his last visit while in office in July 2015, Obama told the world he was coming to Kenya to encourage expansion of democracy and reduction of graft “inside that incredibly blessed and gifted country.” 

And when he attended a dinner at State House hosted by President Kenyatta, the ‘son of Kogelo’ joked that he had returned home to fetch his birth certificate. Birthers, a theory advanced by US Republicans including Donald Trump, had claimed Obama was born in Kenya.

We believe the US leader hasn’t relented in his support to Kenya. He should take it in his stride to make positive change stick, building on his conviction that economic, good governance and political development are linked.

We expect Obama to continue making a case that Kenya and the US will get more out of their cordial relationship. Indeed during his tenure, the US gave Kenya about Sh350b for health programmes and Sh3.93b to support governance. Kenya also received Sh8.63b towards education.

Indeed, we welcome the invitation of 20 Kenyans to take part alongside 180 other young leaders from African in a town hall meeting that Obama will moderate in Johannesburg next week.

Let’s embrace Obama and draw inspiration from the life journey of a man who rose from a humble beginning to the highest office in the world. As a nation, we must demonstrate that we are truly unique and blessed.