To celebrate the victory of Barack Obama in the US presidential elections last week, Kenya had a public holiday on Thursday, and Kenyan MPs are planning to hold thanksgiving prayers this week in Uhuru Park. The MPs who are organising the prayers have reportedly said “the fact that Mr Obama has his roots in Kenya has put the country above the others in the continent.” They did not explain exactly how that is meant to work.
Many Africans seem to have unrealistic expectations of the benefits they will derive from Obama’s presidency. Perhaps they are based on typical African expectations of familial ties – if you get a job which pays good money, you are expected to remember your relatives; if you get a job as president of the wealthiest nation on earth, with trillions of dollars under your care, then maybe you are expected to funnel some of that great wealth in the direction of your “relatives”, no matter how distant they might be.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s disreputable rogue president Mugabe is planning to stretch his begging bowl in Obama’s direction. Mugabe says he is hoping to work with Obama “to tackle the challenges facing developing countries”. One of the biggest challenges encountered by developing countries is corrupt governments. Mugabe needs go no further than the nearest mirror to confront the greatest problem faced by his own country.