By Ogova Ondego
Published October 10, 2009
Barack Hussein Obama made history when he became the first black president of the United States of America, arguably the world’s most powerful nation, in more than 200 years. The 44th President of USA has elicited lots of excitement around the world and especially in Kenya where his biological father came from. The day after his election on November 4, 2008, Kenya declared a public holiday in his honour, with President Mwai Kibaki saying that Kenyans “are confident that Kenya would always have a special place in the president-elect’s heart.” On his inauguration, OGOVA ONDEGO interviewed women in Nairobi on a wide range of subjects, including whether Obama’s perceived “strong Kenyan heritage” would make any change in the way the “black” race is perceived around the world, benefit the poor, or empower women.”
G. Wamaitha Kinyanjui, Lawyer, 40
What do you think of Obama’s election as the first black president of America in a more than two centuries?
It heralds a new dawn in American race relations and also how black people are viewed globally. Africans have always been deemed to be beggars for their inability to use their resources. With Obama, a black person at the helm, a new partnership will be developed between Africa and the world as his election means blacks are as resourceful as any one else.
How will Obama’s election change the perception of the black race around the world?
That all humans are all the same and that it is only the colour of our skin that differentiates us. Besides recognition and confidence, his also opens up the black world and culture to the rest of the world. For example, Kenya and Kogello village have been opened up as the media camp there to beam the lives of Kenyans into the living rooms around the world.
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How will the poor benefit from Obama’s win?
Africa will benefit from the positive policies on HIV and AIDS. The Micro-Bicide Development Act is aimed at accelerating the production of goods to empower women in the battle against HIV. With Obama at the top these products will be developed and brought o Africa at subsidised and affordable prices. With ovarian cancer being the fourth leading cause of death among women in the USA, Obama cosponsored the Johanna Law in 2007 to increase awareness on this cancer. He also helped pass a law on breast cancer to increase insurance cover for mammograms. This shows Obama is concerned about women’s health and that if his policies are implemented in the USA, they will filter through to Africa and elsewhere. Obama also helped pass a law to combat gender-based violence. Domestic violence prevention organisations and motherhood and fatherhood programmes that train staff to assist families involved in domestic violence around the world are likely to benefit.
Obama also sponsored and co-authorised an anti-violence against women bill that became law in 2006; it assists communities, non-governmental organisations, and police to combat GBV. This will help reduce domestic violence, rape, defilement in places such as DR Congo, Darfur, Kenya. Small scale businesses are likely to benefit from Obama’s experience at the market place in Kenya when he accompanied his grandmother to sell cabbages. Thus knowing he plight of the African, Obama is likely to influence the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the G8 as they make policies.
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What role and place do you think women will have in Obama’s administration?
I almost envy Michelle for having a man who is so sensitive and gentle to her. He must hold her opinion highly, i.e. her opinion counts.
Margaret Njuguna, Secretary, 45
What do you think of Obama’s election as the first black president of America in a more than two centuries?
Empowerment for black people.
How will Obama’s election change the perception of the black race around the world?
It will remove fear and harassment of black people. It will now be easy for us to stand up to someone tell him or her off because of our newly acquired confidence.
How will the poor benefit from Obama’s win?
We must work hard for ourselves without expecting Obama to do miracles for us; each African country must work hard to improve the lives of her citizens.
What role and place do you think women will have in Obama’s administration?
I am sure the First Lady, Michelle Obama, will encourage him to appoint qualified black women. Thus women will get recognition and empowerment through Michelle.
Do you think the world expects too much from Obama?
Not really; Obama, being black, won’t let people suffer too much.
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What change will the election bring to the economic meltdown in the world?
Obama will help curb corruption. Remember how firm he was on the vice when he visited Kenya in 2006? He also doesn’t tolerate bad governance.
Do you think America’s “campaign-against-terror” will end now that the Democrats are in command?
He has already promised to pull out of Iraq for Iraqis to determine their own destiny.
What lessons will African countries that are synonymous with mis-governance, brutality and corruption–Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, DR Congo and South Africa–learn from the election of Barrack Obama?
That any qualified person can be a president; don’t be a president for life!
Will it now be easier for people from Africa and the so-called “developing world” to gain access to USA?
We may mistakenly think so but this won’t happen; you can’t just walk in and out of America because as some people could be engaged in evil designs against the USA.
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Celestine Gitau, Graphic designer, 28
How will Obama’s election change the perception of the black race around the world?
It will earn black people respect around the world.
How will the poor benefit from Obama’s win?
They will derive encouragement and work hard towards their dreams.
What role and place do you think women will have in Obama’s administration?
Hillary Clinton is already the secretary of state in charge of foreign policy while Michelle, Obama’s wife, will play behind the scenes. For Obama to succeed, it calls for his wife’s support.
Do you think the world expects too much from Obama?
The world, especially Kenya, expects too much from him. Yet he is American and not African or world, president.
What change will the election bring to the economic melt down in the world?
Obama can’t solve economic problem alone without other world leaders.
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What lessons will African countries that are synonymous with mis-governance, brutality and corruption ‘Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, DR Congo and South Africa’ learn from the election of Barrack Obama?
It provides many lessons in democracy for Africa as a whole and not just Kenya and the other countries you have mentioned.
Will it now be easier for people from Africa and the so-called “developing world” to gain access to America?
No, it will not get any easier to enter the USA; immigration rules here to be adhered to. The fact that he is black doesn’t mean the law will be changed to favour the black race.
Mary Gesare Mogusu, Student, 19
What does Barack Obama’s win mean to Africans?
It is an inspiration to Africans and Africans have learned that if one of their own can rule in a white man’s land, then with hard work nothing is impossible and you don’t necessarily have to try to be someone else to succeed.
Will his win change the perception of the black person around the world?
Yes, over the years black people have always been seen as inferior, self-centered and violent. All these negative attributes belonged to the black people; his win also shows that black people have a positive side and skills for leadership. They deserve to be respected and allowed to do decent jobs apart from slavery.
How will the poor benefit from the Obama win?
They will not benefit financially but his win will give them hope to work harder and not to quit, just as Obama did even after being discouraged by many.
What role do you think women will have in his government?
Women will definitely have their own place in his government but it’s up to him to choose where they will work in his government, gender should not be an issue in his government because people want to experience change in all aspects of life.
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Do you think the world expects too much from Obama?
Yes, many people from all over the world expect Obama to solve the problems in their countries, forgettetting that Obama is not the president of the world but of America that, too, has its own issues to deal with. However he might be able to deal with some problems out of America and join partnerships with other countries to solve problems affecting the whole world like diseases, food crisis and war.
What changes will his win bring to the economic melt down?
Immediately he was declared president stock prices at the New York Stock Exchange looked up; even though with a low margin, this change was felt worldwide. We still hope the price of petroleum and food will go down also.
Will Obama fulfill all these expectations?
He might not be able to fulfill all that is expected of him during his first term in office but he will definitely try to stop the fight between Iraq and America and also create new job opportunities for the jobless and especially the youth. However he might never fulfill some expectations which are beyond his powers.
What lessons can African countries like Zimbabwe and Kenya learn from Obama’s win?
Leadership has no age limit and we should not concentrate on tribal politics which leads to violence; anyone can qualify to be a leader regardless of one’s tribe as the office was not made for a specific tribe. Money should not be given the first priority concerning a leader not forgetting that violence and does not solve anything.
Do you think his win will change how the world views America?
Yes, considering the fact that America is a white man’s land and can afford to elect a black man as their leader, it shows that even if racism still exists it will no longer be a problem in not only America but the whole world.
Will black people now gain easy access to America?
Just because Obama is the president doesn’t mean that any black person who feels that he/she needs to visit America can go anytime; the visa application process in all the embassies is still as rigorous as ever.
Valentine Dinah Kasyoka, IT Practitioner, 23
What do you think of Obama’s election as the first black president of America in a span of over 200 years?
Change is on the way and more is expected of the black race.
How will Obama’s election change the perception of the black race around the world?
It will make the world realize that blacks are intelligent, hard working and focused on realizing their dreams.
What role and place do you think women will have in Obama’s administration?
Hillary Clinton, as the secretary of State, will promote more women and put the women’s issues on the agenda.
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Do you think the world expects too much from Obama?
Not really. Perhaps it is only Americans who expect a lot from him. Obama cannot solve problems for the world.
Do you think America’s “campaign-against-terror” will end now that the Democrats are in command?
Obama will carry on from where George Bush stopped; he mentioned this during his inaugural speech.
What lessons will African countries that are synonymous with mis-governance, brutality and corruption ‘Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, DR Congo and South Africa’ learn from the election of Barrack Obama?
Kenya and Zimbabwe should accept political change. They should stop corruption and vote-rigging and the violence that goes with it.
Will it now be easier for people from Africa and the so-called “developing world” to gain access to America?
It will now be easier to secure a visa to the USA since president Obama, a black person, understands the plight of black people. His positive policies will influence western European countries to also go easy in allowing blacks to get into their nations.
Bethsheba Achitsa, Student, 19
What do you think of Obama’s election as the first black president of America in a span of over 200 years?
His election represents great change around the world. It shows that Americans have realised that colour, race or tribes are not factors that determine one’s abilities.
How will Obama’s election change the perception of the black race around the world?
For once, the black people will stop being seen as only good with guns or sports kings and queens, at least the white will regard them as intellectuals and political heavy weights who have equal rights as they. Racism will end not just because Obama has become President but because time has necessitated this change.
How will the poor benefit from Obama’s win?
Benefits cannot be attributed to individuals but to the countries, which we belong to. Thus, individuals may never see the benefits of Obama’s election. While most countries are experiencing economic depression, I am not sure if Obama will offer Africa more help as it was with the case with his predecessor, George W Bush.
What role and place do you think women will have in Obama’s administration?
This depends on how Americans view women; this will contribute to what position they will be given in the government.
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Do you think the world expects too much from Obama?
Yes, especially we in Africa. We expect him to give us more funds and the entire world hopes he will bring about favorable economic policies within the economy to combat the high rates of inflation that are prevailing. It is also expected that he will do something about the wars that have always been there between America and the other nations.
Will Obama meet these expectations?
He might just be able to make a few changes. He may require more than one term to meet them.
What change will the election bring to the economic melt down in the world?
It’s hard to determine this but with the current situation, his first term in office will not have a positive impact on the economy of the world. To revive the economy means that people will have to sacrifice a lot.
Do you think war-torn countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and DR Congo will be at peace with America?
Peace may be attained although we can never say anything about the wars that have been there between America and these other countries. The poor state the people of Iraq and other countries are in have been brought about by America, its hard to believe that you and your enemy will just become friends overnight
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Do you think an Obama presidency will change the perception of America around the world?
He could be the reason why many will change how they look at Americans. Most people will tend to like America just because they like Obama. Humans tend to associate goodness with good people.
Do you think America’s “campaign-against-terror” will end now that the Democrats are in command?
Terrorism has been here for ages and therefore if Obama can change this then the world will be a wonderful place.
What lessons will African countries that are synonymous with mis-governance, brutality and corruption ‘Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia, DR Congo and South Africa’ learn from the election of Barrack Obama?
They will learn leadership is a God given gift and that no one is designed to rule forever. The leadership transition process from Bush to Obama has been something that African leaders should think about. When presidential candidates fail to clinch the seat they should be ready to accept defeat, as did John McCain. Transparency in the vote counting process should also be a must.
Will it now be easier for people from Africa and the so-called “developing world” to gain access to America?
That USA has a black President does not mean that Americans will change their immigration laws. I think that the regulations, rather than loosen, will get stricter. With a black president, some people may think that it’s time for them to easily enter America and cause trouble, hence my conclusion that the current visa rules will still hold.
