Obama’s message to Kenyans, ethnic violence and challenge of March 4 elections. By Chido Nwangwu

Obama’s message to Kenyans, violence and challenge of March 4 elections

By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfrica and USAfricaonline.com

Special to USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston.                                                                @Twitter.com/Chido247, Facebook.com/USAfricaChido n Facebook.com/USAfrica247

USAfrica, Houston: As a reminder to the turbulence and ethnic violence which have undermined the credibility of the voting process and left thousands of Kenyans dead and injured within the past 4 years, U.S President Barack Obama has spoken directly (via video) to the Kenyan people — in both Kiswahili and English — calling for a peaceful vote on March 4, 2013.

Obama’s call for Kenyans to reject violence and the core challenge of Kenya’s March 4 elections rest on the question of whether Kenyans (like most parts of Africa) can rise beyond ethnic, primordial and sectarian blocks to create an inclusive, fair, just and truly democratic republic where no one is killed or assaulted because of their heritage.

This question and challenges are real and urgent because of the history of the country. Let me note that the last effort at national voting on December 27, 2007 saw a very bloody showdown that led to the killing of more than 1,000 people and the displacement of at least 550,000 Kenyans; forcing the creation of government of national unity (refer/see related reports here on USAfricaonline.com).

The White House released on February 5 his  2:38mins video, also posted on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgmVLJXS2x4n to underscore his point that “you (Kenyans) can show the world you are not just a member of a tribe or ethnic group but citizens of a great and proud nation. I

cannot imagine a better way to mark the 50th anniversary of Kenya’s independence.” He charged the voters and leaders of Kenya to “reject intimidation and violence and allow a free and fair vote.” in the country which got its political independence on December 12, 1963. It was declared a republic on December 12, 1964 and the famous nationalist Jomo Kenyatta became its first President under the banner of the Kenya African National Union (KANU).

President Obama noted in his message that the US is not endorsing any candidate in the Kenyan election, underlining that “The choice of who to lead Kenya is up to the people of Kenya.”
President has kept some interest in the east African country of multi-ethnic composition. USAfrica is aware that one of his relatives is a very highly placed elected leader of Kenya.
USAfrica notes that President Obama’s father Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., (June 18 , 1936 − November 24, 1982) is Kenyan; Ann Dunham, his resourceful late mother is an American from Kansas. Obama Sr and Ann were married in 1962.

Amidst the routine bouts of ethnic violence, Kenya (a country of 44million people) has been bedeviled by corruption at various levels and especially a scandalous, money-grubbing legislature with elephant-size appetite. Yet, Kenya is among Africa’s top 3 technology zones into 2013.

I believe that on March 4, the question on the lips of Kenyans and Kenya watchers/analysts will, ironically, be largely the same question posed 50 years ago –in swahili language – at its independence: is it yet uhuru (freedom)? Only time and the political godzillas will tell….

•Dr. Chido Nwangwu, Founder & Publisher of Houston-based USAfrica multimedia networks since 1992, first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the internet USAfricaonline.com;  CLASSmagazine, the USAfrica-powered e-groups of  Nigeria360, IgboEvents, UNNalumni, PhotoWorks.TV  and recipient of several journalism and public policy awards, was recently profiled by the CNN International for his pioneering works on multimedia/news/public policy projects for Africans and Americans. http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2010/07/29/mpa.african.media.bk.a.cnn

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WHY I CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND WORKS OF NELSON MANDELA. By Chido Nwangwu  https://usafricaonline.com/2010/07/15/mandela-why-i-celebrate-his-life-works-by-chido-nwangwu/

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Nigeria’s Federal Republic of Insecurity. By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfrica, USAfricaonline.com and the Nigeria360 e-group. https://usafricaonline.com/2011/12/17/nigeria-federal-republic-of-insecurity-by-chido-nwangwu/ : IF any of the Nigerian President’s 100 advisers has the polite courage for the extraordinary task of reminding His Excellency of his foremost, sworn, constitutional obligation to the national interest about security and safety of Nigerians and all who sojourn in Nigeria, please whisper clearly to Mr. President that I said, respectfully: Nigerians, at home and abroad, are still concerned and afraid for living in what I call Nigeria’s Federal Republic of Insecurity. FULL text of commentary at USAfricaonline.com https://usafricaonline.com/2011/12/17/nigeria-federal-republic-of-insecurity-by-chido-nwangwu/