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Posted on 06/05/2010 12:27:35 AM PDT by Red Steel
Updated 11 hr(s) 40 min(s) ago
Only days to the visit of his deputy to Kenya, US President Barack Obama has finally disclosed he will visit Kenya.
The announcement ends disquiet among many that the world’s most powerful leader had opted to permanently snub his late father’s homeland. It also gives away the core mission of his
deputy, Vice- President Joe Biden’s Nairobi visit starting Monday. Biden will be the highest ranking US official to ever visit Kenya.
Speaking during an interview in Washington, Obama urged Kenyans to take part in the August referendum on the Proposed Constitution.
He observed the new constitution could help establish the rule of law, protect human rights, and reduce the possibility of ethnic violence that erupted after the disputed 2007 presidential election.
In essence, Obama’s historic disclosure three days ahead of his deputy’s visit, leaves no doubt that Biden’s mission would revolve around the ongoing reform agenda. Obama gave the historic promise during an interview with Kenya’s national broadcaster, KBC.
Only last week, US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger gave the initial clue Obama would be coming to Kenya. Speaking at Standard Group headquarters on Mombasa Road, while officially launching Radio Maisha, Ranneberger noted: "The bar of US guests to Kenya was steadily rising" and that it was anybody’s guess who would knock next.
During his last visit to Kenya in 2006 as Illinois Senator, Obama got a great reception while his victory as the first US President was marked with celebrations across the country.
Although a dispatch from the White House states Biden will discuss "bilateral and regional security issues" with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga", the timing of the talks is curious. Campaigns ahead of the August referendum poll have peaked while the ICC investigators are in the country poring over documents and listening to potential witnesses.
Like those before him, Biden is expected to push the realisation of a new constitution. Although the two principals have publicly stated their support for the document, some key Government ministers and officials are out of step. The US Government has previously warned of unspecified action against the Kenyan leadership should it fail to implement the reform agenda and end intermittent wrangles that have threatened to derail the Grand Coalition Government.
In July last year, Carson said Washington was "encouraging" Kenya to implement the reforms.
And while attending the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act conference in Nairobi, last year, Clinton was concerned Kenya was letting down their "homeboy".
Indeed, the push for the reform agenda enjoys wide support from outside forces, including the US, European Union, and the United Nations.
In an apparent orchestrated move, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who negotiated the 2008 peace accord, was in the country last month where he urged Kenyans to pass the Proposed Constitution.
The latest report from the panel of African eminent personalities, released by Annan indicated 66 per cent of Kenyans would vote ‘Yes’ at the August 4 referendum on the Proposed Constitution.
The Obama Administration has been highly critical of the Kenya Government with Obama and Clinton separately unleashing warnings to ‘a friendly partner’ over the slow pace of reforms.
And as a part of his weapon to drive the point home, Obama has declined to set foot in Kenya explaining he cannot associate with governments that do not respect democratic ideals. His choice of Ghana during his first trip to Africa as President was particularly a slap in the face to Kenya.
"His visit to Ghana was to demonstrate his support towards democratic governance and the rule of law," explained Carson.
Kenya’s US-based leading scholar, Prof Ali Mazrui concurs: "If we would have performed better in the 2007 General Election, Obama would have found it harder to go to any other African country as his first stop. But because we faltered in 2007, Ghana was an easy option."
With the announcement of his visit to Kenya, is Obama suddenly convinced a wind of change is blowing across the country and that Kenyans have embraced democracy?
Is he on the ballot? At least there he’d be qualified for office.
True
Is he gonna visit his brother in the 6 X 9 foot straw hut?
Nothing like escaping to the only place where you can count on being popular.
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He’s going there to destroy his true Birth Certificate, unless it’s already destroyed.
Obama promises to visit Kenya after referendum
Now if he’d just promise not to come back ...
There seems to be a word (or several) missing from the above sentence, around the word "President."
You mean he is finally leaving the US to go home.
Please, please and please. Yesterday is not soon enough.
During debate over the draft of a new Kenyan constitution, James Orengo, the country’s minister of lands and a member of parliament for the Ugenya constituency, cited America’s election of a Kenyan-born president as an example of what can be accomplished when diverse peoples unite:
The Kenyan lawmaker told the nation’s parliament last month that Barack Obama was born in Africa and is therefore “not even a native American.”
The full quote; “If America was living in a situation where they feared ethnicity and did not see itself as a multiparty state or nation, how could a young man born here in Kenya, who is not even a native American, become the President of America? It is because they did away with exclusion. What has killed us here is exclusion; that once Mr. Orengo is President, I know of no other place than Ugenya. That is why we were fighting against these many Presidencies in the past. I hope that Kenya will come of age. This country must come of age. People want freedom and nations want liberation, but countries want independence.”
http://www.bunge.go.ke/parliament/downloads/tenth_forth_sess/Hansard/RDRAFT25.03P.pdf
UPDATE: The Kenyan Government is scrubbing this document. I have uploaded it here LINK
The statement is on page 31 of the PDF document. Also when did the United States do away with exclusion? What exclusion? The Natural Born Citizen clause? When was this done?
So who is James Orengo?
James Orengo, (James Jimmy-Jimmy Owadgi Adhiambo Orengo) is a lawyer and former presidential candidate in Kenya. Orengo has since been sworn in as a Minister for Lands in the new Coalition Government formed by the National Accord Act of 2008. As of 2007 he is still the SDP chairman. The party supported Raila Odinga of Orange Democratic Movement at the 2007 general elections. Raila Odinga is the first cousin of Barack Obama.
Additional information and previous posts of Kenyan officials stating Obama is Kenyan
Kenyan Parliament says Obama is Kenyan after the 2008 election
That would be a great photo op.
Also, he sould stand in front of the building that has a sign saying 'Birthplace Of Barack Obama'. Another great photo op.
Isn’t Odinga a RELATION of his?? Isn’t Odinga a TYRANT?
His brother came to DC...Samson is his name and he wasn’t allowed in Britain because he had FALSE DOCUMENTS!!!
Do you think that Birth Certifigate is real?? I do.
Good. Go Home. Stay Home.
Home Sweet Home!
Do you think that Birth Certifigate is real?? I do.
I do also.
Yes, first cousin and was pretty much responsible for the violence 2 years ago. Marxist just like the rest of the family and Ø campaigned for him.
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