Sunday, November 9, 2008

A victory to cherish

It was celebration time for Kenyan students in Vadodara with Barack Obama sweeping the US Presidential Polls and becoming the first African-American president of the US. Obama’s late father hailed from rural western Kenya while his 87-year old grandmother resides in Kogelo, a tiny village near Kisumu. Kenyans residing in the city have been receiving congratulatory calls from Indian friends and their families calling them from Kenya to update them on the celebration taking place back home.

Most Kenyans had never ever dreamt or envisioned an African-American president taking over America’s reins. But with Obama winning the polls, they feel that Americans have definitely voted for change this time. “Look at the amount of support he has got from Americans. We never expected them to support an American with African roots. But this win is historic by all means,” said president of Kenyan Student Association Jack Kihiko. As many as 10 students from Kenya study in the M S University (MSU) here.

Kihiko also shared that celebrations back home started way before the results were announced. “We knew that Obama will win as he was a young and intelligent candidate and besides him there was no other competent candidate Americans could vote for. But now we will have to see what good can he deliver to the world with his deeds,” added Kihiko, a second year student from technology faculty in MSU.

Jacquelne Saisi Mulinya pursuing her doctorate from MSU can’t stop smiling over Obama’s landslide victory. She feels Obama is the next JF Kennedy who will not only revive America but also help Africans enjoy greater freedom in USA.

“I still can’t take my eyes off the television set, the news of Obama’s victory is so overwhelming and surreal. For ages Africans have been oppressed, ill-treated and sidelined but now we can hope for a better future. People in US knew that only Obama can bring to their country back into action,” said Mulinya adding that this win in a way has united all African countries.

Jacquelne’s husband Kingsley who has come to the city from Nigeria to visit his wife is also very ecstatic with Obama’s victory. “It’s a proud moment in the life of every African. And this victory will strengthen the unity between African nations. We now hope that days of terror are over and peace will get precedence with a new man in power,” said Kingsley.

2 comments:

Bhavisha Joshi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
speak_your_mind said...

Indeed it is some thing extra ordinary, people were looking for some miracle. Let us see if he can deliver.

Good Work!