BALTIMORE, October 23 – Kenyans living in the United States of America have been sucked into the presidential campaigns with many of them, naturally, hoping for a Barrack Obama win.
Those interviewed by Capital News in Baltimore, Maryland said they preferred the Democratic candidate, although they were not eligible to vote.
“Obama has been built like an ark, which so many people have entered but we do not know whether it will sail through,” remarked Peter Kahura, who has lived and worked in the US for 16 years.
“He looks the best choice to be the President of America. He would have to bring it up from where it has been dropped by the current regime,” Mr Kahura said adding that he would visit various polling locations on elections day to monitor the process.
Dr Wanjiru Kamau, another US resident for more than 20 years said the Democratic candidate was a God-send.
“This is what people don’t realise. He is also a man who has shown a lot of humility going to search for his Kenyan roots,” she said.
“The way I feel him, the way I see him, the way he talks when interviewed indicates he is a good person and is nationalistic,” added Kenneth Kiragu who has lived in the US for three years.
Meanwhile, Kenyans living in America have already started feeling the impact of the financial crunch that emanated from that country. Mr Kahura who operates a clothes stall in down town Baltimore said his business was being affected.
“I have to be here (at the stall) for six hours. I don’t make money and so I have to go for a part time job to make money,” he said adding; “I can now say the American dream is over because it’s not like before where you could get a $200 cheque and buy all the basic items. Now you can’t.”
Mr Kahura said he was preparing himself financially to be able to return to Kenya permanently within the next three years.
His remarks were echoed by Mr Kiragu who said he was planning to go back to Kenya in a few months.
“We have learnt the truth about Americans, what they do and how they work which is not impressive.”
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