Obama finally eats a humble pie and decides to visit Kenya

Obama finally eats a humble pie and decides to visit Kenya

BY MUSYOKA NGUI

musyokangui02@gmail.com

U

S President Barrack Obama has finally humbled himself and expressed intention of visiting Kenya in July for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi.

Obama has in the past bypassed Kenya in his global tours and it is a welcome move that he will manage to visit his “motherland” since he was elected the president of the US. After taking office in 2008, Kenyans had a lot of hope in their distant cousin who disappointed them.

Ironically, it is under Obama when the Kenyan -US ties have been severed most in recent history particularly with regard to the ICC cases Kenya faces in the Hague. Luckily, Kenya has proven the US and indeed the world wrong that it can hold peaceful elections and decide on their own destinies without undue influence. The Western Europe and America warned Kenyans in the runners up to the 2013 general elections that choices have consequences but Kenyans went ahead and defied that warning. Kenya is perceived to be facing East with China shaping up to be Kenya’s main trading partner to the detriment of the West and US.

President Obama will definitely seek to solidify his friendship with Kenya and Africa. He will also get an opportunity to reconnect with his roots. As a result, America should not issue unnecessary travel advisories to Kenya since this will hurt our economy which has already been battered by the recent terror attacks believed to be conducted by the Al-Shabaab. As a big brother, America should help Kenya in sharing intelligence not advising tourists against visiting Kenya for holidays. If Kenya was unsafe Obama would not have decided to pay us a visit in July.

Without a doubt Nairobi is rising to be the regional economic capital and a key player in Africa. Obama should remember to bring ideas home on how to build Africa given entrepreneurship is a cog in economic growth and development.

Once again, Obama welcome home. Even the prodigal son was received by his father after sinning against him by squandering his inheritance.