Two weeks before the US elections and Obama Mania has hit Kenya! Remember, half of Obama’s genes come from Kenya so people here feel a special connection and pride with him. T-shirts, signs, bumper stickers, skirts and pins are showing up in the least expected places. The local news reels never miss an election update. Newspapers have more news on the elections than any other event. 
The pic shows our two main papers and this is only some of the articles featured that day! Then there is the 'Obama Musical' which is playing at our National Theatre- they say it is a story of a Kenyan America told in dance, music, narrative and song by George Orido. Local commercials are appearing more and more- my favorite one is from a local paint company called Duracoat and the spokesman is talking to Obama, standing in front of the White House reminding him that when he moves into that big house they can provide any one of 4000 paint options to ‘freshen up the color’ of that white house. He is the topic of discussion everywhere I go and now the international press have come here to Kenya to cover this angle. They are camped out at Obama’s paternal grandmothers’ home right now and are moving all around the country getting opinions about the upcoming elections.
To be honest, this interest goes far beyond the borders of Kenya. Even in Swaziland my friend (pictured below) came to the office wearing a normal shirt and tie and I could see what was behind his shirt so I made him open his shirt so I could get a snap!
The pic shows our two main papers and this is only some of the articles featured that day! Then there is the 'Obama Musical' which is playing at our National Theatre- they say it is a story of a Kenyan America told in dance, music, narrative and song by George Orido. Local commercials are appearing more and more- my favorite one is from a local paint company called Duracoat and the spokesman is talking to Obama, standing in front of the White House reminding him that when he moves into that big house they can provide any one of 4000 paint options to ‘freshen up the color’ of that white house. He is the topic of discussion everywhere I go and now the international press have come here to Kenya to cover this angle. They are camped out at Obama’s paternal grandmothers’ home right now and are moving all around the country getting opinions about the upcoming elections.To be honest, this interest goes far beyond the borders of Kenya. Even in Swaziland my friend (pictured below) came to the office wearing a normal shirt and tie and I could see what was behind his shirt so I made him open his shirt so I could get a snap!
So, it seems it is not just Kenya but the whole world watching closely, waiting to see if America will vote as they would, if only they would be given the chance. I am not saying people outside the US should have the right to vote for our President but I only wish those who won’t use their voting privileges would realize just how coveted we are for having the opportunity to speak on this important election. I have had many conversations in the last few months with people from all over Africa, from many European nations and even Asia. It seems other than that half of the US, the rest of the world is in favor of Obama becoming the next US President.
I know many people back home don’t think it matters much to the rest of the world who sits in that seat. Many Americans don’t understand why a poor woman in Swaziland, a farmer in Kenya or business owner in Switzerland should care who wins, but they do. They have to. They feel the reality that much of America is unaware- we truly are all connected to one another. Yes, much of what is done in the White House is directly impacting Americans and rightly so, but there are so many global initiatives, policies and activities that either directly or indirectly impacts the rest of the world. The current financial crisis is the most recent example of this inter-dependence we have with one another globally. Even though it is only the Americans who get to vote, don’t think for a minute that the upcoming elections are only interesting to people overseas for entertainment value. It truly is going to have a global impact and people worldwide have spoken. Now it is time for us to speak- for us and for the rest of the world.
I let my voice be known through my vote last week. I arrived back from my recent trips to find my absentee ballot had arrived. I had one day to vote in order for the Embassy to guarantee it made it back in time to be counted. With the memories of Kenya’s recent rigged elections and all the chaos and pain that came after it I still remember listening to one of my staff members who said, “I will never vote again. Look what it did!” The feeling I had after hearing her statement saddened me so much because I believe so much in the democratic system where we all get an equal voice and yet she and many others had lost that belief in the system and were now threatening to never vote again. I felt by sharing my voting experience with some of my Kenyan colleagues it could -at the least- remind them that voting is an honor and it is meant to be a positive and empowering experience. So, along with many other of my staff around me I ticked the various boxes and let my voice be heard. Today I voted for my candidate for the next president of the United States!
I know many people back home don’t think it matters much to the rest of the world who sits in that seat. Many Americans don’t understand why a poor woman in Swaziland, a farmer in Kenya or business owner in Switzerland should care who wins, but they do. They have to. They feel the reality that much of America is unaware- we truly are all connected to one another. Yes, much of what is done in the White House is directly impacting Americans and rightly so, but there are so many global initiatives, policies and activities that either directly or indirectly impacts the rest of the world. The current financial crisis is the most recent example of this inter-dependence we have with one another globally. Even though it is only the Americans who get to vote, don’t think for a minute that the upcoming elections are only interesting to people overseas for entertainment value. It truly is going to have a global impact and people worldwide have spoken. Now it is time for us to speak- for us and for the rest of the world.
I let my voice be known through my vote last week. I arrived back from my recent trips to find my absentee ballot had arrived. I had one day to vote in order for the Embassy to guarantee it made it back in time to be counted. With the memories of Kenya’s recent rigged elections and all the chaos and pain that came after it I still remember listening to one of my staff members who said, “I will never vote again. Look what it did!” The feeling I had after hearing her statement saddened me so much because I believe so much in the democratic system where we all get an equal voice and yet she and many others had lost that belief in the system and were now threatening to never vote again. I felt by sharing my voting experience with some of my Kenyan colleagues it could -at the least- remind them that voting is an honor and it is meant to be a positive and empowering experience. So, along with many other of my staff around me I ticked the various boxes and let my voice be heard. Today I voted for my candidate for the next president of the United States!
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