Kenya: Obama Granny's Day Out With Envoys and Top Politicians

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The Nation (Nairobi)

8 July 2008
Posted to the web 8 July 2008

Dave Opiyo
Nairobi

Her dimpled face radiated happiness as she slowly and gracefully strolled towards the garden at the US ambassador's residence in Nairobi, eliciting excitement among guests.

Initially, many thought that it was a joke when it was announced that Mrs Sarah Onyango Obama, the step-grandmother of US Senator Barack Obama, the 2008 Democratic Presidential candidate would grace the event - America's Independence Day celebrations.

Americans normally celebrate the event on July 4 every year to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. The day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals and political speeches.

Invited guests

In Kenya, the celebrations were last Friday held at the US ambassador, Mr Michael Ranneberger's residence. This was the 232nd Independence Day celebrations in the US history.

In Nairobi, many of the invited guests quietly dismissed the announcement that Mama Obama would attend as a 'prank', aimed at fooling them about the 86-year-old famous grandma.

However, it did not take long for the skeptics to be disapproved when Mrs Obama walked in - as calm as ever - with her trademark smile, eliciting excitement from many. She was accompanied by Mr Ranneberger.

The expressions on the faces of most of the high profile guests told it all. It was quite evident that many could hardly believe their encounter with the famous woman from Nyang'oma Kogelo Village of Siaya District.

Indeed, the Nation overheard many saying that it was their first time meeting eye to eye with the US Presidential candidate's grandmother, with most of them saying they had either read or watched her stories in the media.

"It's quite a surprise. I couldn't in my wildest imagination think that Obama's grandmother would be here. I did not expect it at all. I have to at least say hi to her," one person was overheard saying.

"I cannot imagine that she has travelled all the way from Nyanza Province to join us in the celebrations," said another.

Green dress

She was clad in a dark green dress, with yellow flowers, complete with white and black patterns. She also wore a yellow headscarf to match.

And as she mingled freely with many dignitaries, who included Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Mama Obama, who was with her grand-daughter, Dr Auma Obama, engaged her new found friends in hearty conversations.

Many of the conversations did not last long owing to the large number of individuals, who never wanted to miss sharing a moment with her.

She engaged her admirers in Kiswahili in most instances, while throwing a few English words like - 'How are you today?' or 'I'm very fine' - to the few who did not understand the language.

She clearly stole the show. Many could not resist either posing for a photo with her, or taking her pictures, with the hope that in the next few months, they would brag to others that they once were with the US President's grandmother!

Journalists too were not left out as they scrambled to get the best shot of the 'lady of the moment'.

And moments before the speeches began, she was provided with a chair to sit on, probably because her old age could not allow her to stand for long.

The Nation learnt that Mama Sarah was recovering from a troublesome knee, on top of hypertension.

Savour with pride

During the speeches, Mr Odinga termed the nomination of Sen Obama as the Democratic Presidential candidate as a momentous occasion in history, which Kenyans can savour with pride.

"For the first time ever in the Western world, a person of African heritage has been chosen by a major party to run for the highest office in the land," Mr Odinga said.

He went on: "This is a huge lesson for us. If the American people were able to overcome centuries of slavery and then racial discrimination, surely Kenyans can also overcome a much briefer period of negative ethnicity that has poisoned relations among people."

This was the first time Mama Sarah was attending an official function and going by the look of things, she is definitely going places.

And as we left the venue, we were quite convinced that the future looks even more bright for the octogenarian.

Sarah Obama was the third wife of Obama's paternal grandfather, Hussein Onyango Obama. She was just 16 years old when she married Obama's grandfather, an older man who was her father's friend.

Despite living in a village in Kenya, Mama Sarah is well aware of Sen Obama's fame in the US, and has photographs of his successes on her walls.

She is closely following the political campaign.

Sen Obama has visited his Kenyan relatives three times in Kogelo, while step-grandmother has gone to the US twice. The two speak to each other through an interpreter.

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