US President-Elect Barack Obama's grandmother says she wantsto travel to the United States to witness the inauguration of her grandson onJanuary 20, 2009. The 84-year-old Sarah says she will bring with her Obama'sfavorite food, chapatti, a traditional Kenyan pastry. Although Sarah is Obama'sstep grandmother, the president-elect reportedly treats her like his naturalgrandmother. Meanwhile Kenyans are still celebrating after the unity governmentdeclared yesterday (Thursday) a national holiday in celebration ofPresident-Elect Obama's victory in the US general election. The neighbors ofGrandmother Sarah reportedly offered 10 bulls for a feast to celebrate Obama'svictory.
KabiruKinyanjui is a Kenyan political science professor. He tells reporter PeterClottey from the capital, Nairobi that the youth are also in support ofGrandmother Sarah attending President-elect Obama's inauguration.
"This is what has beenreported and a lot of people are supportive of her coming to be there towitness her grandson there being inaugurated as the first black president ofthe United States. Many Kenyans support this and would like to see her there tobless her grandson," Kinyanjui noted.
He said Kenyans are stillcelebrating the victory of US President-elect Barack Obama.
"Thishas been a continuing celebration and we had a national day, which wasdedicated to celebrate the outcome of the American election and to celebratethe day of the President-elect Barack Obama. People have been celebrating theyhave been very positive thing. For instance children who have been born, someare being called Obama and girl children are being called Michelle. So, this isa continuous celebration and it would linger for a long time in the memory ofKenyans, especially when we meet quite a number of children later who would becalled Obama or Michelle," he said.
Kinyanjui said Kenya's unitygovernment declared Thursday as a national holiday as part of Obama's electionas President of the United States.
"Thursday was a publicholiday so we have been celebrating literally for two days. So, this is a greatevent and there is music and there is the usual Kenyan way of celebrating byslaughtering animals and calling their neighbors to enjoy together andcelebrate this great and historical event," Kinyanjui pointed out.
He said the Kenyan youthsare demanding a change in leadership to usher in younger people in government.
"One thing we have noticedis that the young people have started saying that it is time the oldergeneration of politicians in Kenya retire so that the Obama generation can takeover leadership here and emulate from the president-elect and give hope to thepeople of Kenya," he said.
Kinyanjui said Kenya's olderleadership defended itself against calls to step down.
"The old guards have beencautious, but they have been keen to point out because of the investment ineducation very early on at the beginning of independence that Obama senior cameto America in search of education and that is how the connection with thepresident-elect has come. So, they do feel they also can claim it is theirvision to educate somebody and through that education this relationship hasemerged. So, they do feel connected that way," Kinyanjui noted.
Africansin general have been rooting for Obama from the very moment he announced hiscandidacy for president. The election victory of the son of a Kenyan father isstill being celebrated and savored all over the continent.