When America's might lands in Africa

Fifteen years ago, I was bemused when, while in Arusha, then visiting US President Bill Clinton's advance party of Secret Service agents let a sniffer dog into the limousine of the host, President William Mkapa. As one Tanzanian exclaimed then, which epitomised Africa's resignation to fate and history: Umaskini ni mbaya mno (poverty is indeed degrading).

As it is today in Kenya as we wait to receive the US leader, who has an iota of our blood flowing in his veins, roads were paved, new grass planted and even the two-ways turned into one-ways. Barriers cropped up everywhere in the town as Tanzanians washed the roads with Omo. The US leader, then smarting from the Lewinsky White House sex scandal he called 'inappropriate conduct', was visiting Tanzania for the Burundi Peace Talks chaired by Nelson Mandela, Africa's towering moral figure, anti-Apartheid hero and democracy trailblazer.

Because terrorism was not as nightmarish and attacks as frequent in the world as they are today, despite the chilling but simultaneous bombings in Dar-es-Salaam, Kampala and Nairobi, it looked a bit of a bloated spirit of zeal and enthusiasm the elaborate security arrangement laid out for Clinton in Arusha.

A lot of it is in an article I penned that September in 2000, but five things that I witnessed have come back to mind as I watched our leaders fall head over heels, because President Barack Obama is airborne, coming to Kenya in the sunset of his second and last term as the first black US leader.

First was the fact that when a US leader visits, there is no shame in waving our begging bowl. Yes, whenever they visit the developing world, even the haughtiest of leaders can barely conceal the expectation that they wish to be left with a few coins, nay dollar bills.

That is when you realise the kiss we gave China was a tactical way to get attention from the more endowed US. In fact, apart from religion, and possibly if Harambee Stars go to the World Cup, nothing has ever united us more than the Obama effect.

Secondly, the landing of a US president on African soil, or anywhere else for that matter, is a statement on how far apart her technological innovations and minds imbued with a pervasive sense of superiority have placed them from the rest of humanity. Wherever the US President goes, including Portugal where the leader said they would never wish to host him again, life is disrupted as secret agents take over the land, air and any sea around because their leader and his 'bubble' have come along.

In Arusha, we watched with consternation as the walkie-talkies that security officers of the regional leaders had went dead after being jammed alongside all other wireless devices. As it is today, there was the discomfort of the African marvelling at the gadgets the US displays. Everything possible is done to impress the 'visitor', including planting and hoping grass grows into mowing level in a week under Nairobi's dry, but cold spell.

Thirdly, in Arusha, as it is today, as the US leader was welcomed into Simba Hall at the Arusha International Conference Centre, a stealthy hand of a US agent took away all the soft drinks placed before him, and replaced them with ice-cold Pepsi can.

After each sip, the container and any tissue or paper he touched was spirited away by the agents. We would later learn that one of the most protected 'item' the US leader may leave behind is his DNA, and the scientific team usually remain for weeks neutralising or sanitising anything he touched locally and abroad. Your guess is right; even his portion of dinner at State House tomorrow evening will be from an American hand.

Fourthly, secrecy and decoy messages form the centre-bolt of America's security machinery. You never know which car or plane the leader is in or the exact time he will arrive or leave. Even now, I am told many in Government pretend to know where he will sleep but in truth what they have could be the decoy message.

That is an enduring lesson Kenyans must learn on security; never leave it in the hands of novices or talk too much about your operations; forgetting Al Shabaab has ears.

Fifthly, in both Arusha then and Nairobi today, you discern one thing; we are masters of deception and we excel the most when it comes to washing the cup from the outside, just to impress our visitors. I am told the roads to State House and its lawns have been paved and mown and there is a fresh coat of paint.

As soon as he flies out, we shall relapse to our bad ways. Just why we do not do these things as a way of life and take care of ourselves and our President as we do this visitor baffles and reminds us of the December life in the villages 15 years ago, when our mud-walled houses would get a fresh layer of cow-dung and ash decorations.

That said, welcome home, Barack, and look around you and see the changes your visit has brought along. You surely remember well the way we were when you last moved around in matatus and a rickety Volkswagen Beetle.

To us you are a revelation that dreams can actually come to life before our own eyes and we believe in the ethos: 'Yes, we can.'

Yes, Kenya can and should!