With the election coming up in one short week it seems that the Presidential race is at the front of everyone’s mind…even in Kenya.  That’s right, a lot of the Kenyan people are very interested in the outcome of the US election and there seems to be an overwhelming amount of support for one candidate in particular.  One of the first questions a lot of Kenyan people ask us when they find that we are American is “Who are you going to vote for?” or “Oh, American?? Obama!!! You like him, yeah?”  Most Kenyan’s you come in contact with LOVE Obama.  You can find Obama T-Shirts on every street corner, Obama bumper stickers on many cars, and he graces the front page of the Daily Nation nearly as often as Kenyan politicians.  The Obama love has a lot to do with the fact that his father was Kenyan.  Regardless, if Kenyans could vote in the American election I am pretty sure Obama would win by a landslide.  One of the most interesting displays of support we have seen was at the Kenya vs. Namibia game.  First of all there was a “mascot” running around whose costume consisted of a shirt that said OBAMA and a sign that said OBAMA.  He just ran around the field campaigning for Obama.  Secondly, shortly into the game the crowd started chanting, “Oliech, Odinga, Obama…Oliech, Odinga, Obama!” over and over.  You have to understand the significance of these 3 names.  Oliech is the superstar striker for the Kenya Harambee Stars (and oddly enough wasn’t even present at the game when this chant was taking place).   Odinga is Kenya’s Prime Minister and very popular among the people (and oddly enough he WAS present at the game).  And of course Obama is….Obama.  It was interesting to see all of this campaigning going on at a game where, maybe, a few dozen registered American voters were in attendance.  It has been interesting and honestly quite entertaining to watch all the Obama love pour out over the last few months in a place that can’t actually have him as their President.  It is wild to see such interest in American politics…or at least one side of it.  

As far as our personal opinion and choice….we aren’t going to get into that.   It is going to be interesting to see what happens next week, and we are praying that the right man wins.