Senator Barack Obama with his grandmother, Sarah Obama, when he visited in 2006.
The President of United States Barack Obama will not, after all, make the much-anticipated visit to his ancestral village in Kogelo, Siaya county.
US ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec confirmed what will be received as bad news by the Luo community during an interview with KTN’s Jeff Koinange on Thursday night.
“Unfortunately, President Barack Obama is not going to be able to visit Kogelo during his trip; he has only got a certain amount of time and thus will only be in Nairobi,” said Mr Godec, although some imagine this could be a decoy for security reasons.
READ ALSO: THE DARK SIDE OF OBAMA’S VISIT
Mr Obama also appeared to hit at not going to Kogelo yesterday when he said he wished he was a private citizen because the trip would be more ‘meaningful’ to him because as President he would have to be restricted to a hotel room or conference room. He said this during a press conference at White House, Washington DC.
The US ambassador to Kenya said he could not give details of Obama’s itinerary as the programme was yet to be finalised, but promised that Kenyans will have the information in good time. “We are putting together a programme that will reflect the historic nature of this visit and I am sure Kenyans will be pleased with it,” he assured.
Kogelo village in Siaya County is the home of President Obama’s father, the late Barack Hussein Obama, and residents there had high expectations that he would make a visit. It had been hoped that Obama would find some time out of his three days to sneak to his father’s village, where preparations have been underway for his homecoming.
