Obama Arrives in Kenya, on Personal and Official Journey (NYT)

[YoungDemCA]

NAIROBI, Kenya — President Obama arrived on Friday in Kenya, his father’s home country, for the start of a four-day swing through East Africa, combining a personal journey with a geopolitical mission that reinforces a shared campaign against Islamist extremism while wrestling with tough messages about democracy and gay rights.

Mr. Obama, the first sitting American president to visit Kenya, arrived on Air Force One after dark to a deliberately low-key, even anticlimactic, reception, with none of the pomp that is being saved for daylight on Saturday. He was greeted on the tarmac by President Uhuru Kenyatta and an 8-year-old girl who handed him flowers. He then shook hands with dignitaries along a red carpet and signed a guest book before getting into his armored car.

snip:

In choosing Kenya and Ethiopia for his fourth visit to sub-Saharan Africa, though, Mr. Obama opted to go where no president has gone before. In a continent rife with corruption and autocracy, visiting American presidents usually stick to a handful of what one analyst called “safe-bet countries” with largely functioning civil societies, like Ghana, South Africa, Senegal and Tanzania. They stayed away from places like Kenya and Ethiopia.

“That’s why this visit is so important, because he’s sort of breaking out of that mold, and I think that’s an important step,” said Witney Schneidman, a fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Africa Growth Initiative.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/25/world/africa/obama-arrives-in-kenya-on-personal-and-official-journey.html?_r=0

[sheshe2]

2. Obama and his family.

President Barack Obama has dinner with his sister Auma Obama, and the rest of his family


Step Grandmother and half Sister




@PeteSouza: President Obama arrives in Kenya

http://theobamadiary.com/

[classof56]

9. And thanks, sheshe, for posting these wonderful photos.

No matter where he goes or what he does, he makes me proud and honored that he's my President. He never fails to bring a smile.

[sheshe2]

11. Good to see you, classof56.

You are welcome, I just loved those pictures. He looks so happy and at ease there.

[treestar]

10. a half sister

wow! She must be so thrilled. Maybe pissed she didn't get to grow up with him!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

13. Look at that little girl and how respectfully she is dressed.

She looks like a very young bride. Just beautiful and our president is showing her real respect and delight. She had to be really nervous. I love how he knows that and helps to put her at ease while connecting with her.

[sheshe2]

3. Kick

[sheshe2]

4. Kick

Thanks YoungDem!

[Moliere]

5. Hope he enjoys himself, and takes the time to troll the GOP

They're going to go batsh*t

[Princess Turandot]

6. That sweet little girl looks a little nervous...

you can see that the president is trying to put her at ease.

[Cha]

7. Mahalo YoungDemCA!.. Some Tweets from Kenya.. "First time a POTUS has visited there.."!

darlene superville
✔ ?@dsupervilleap
.@POTUS woke up to this in #Kenya
6:51 PM - 24 Jul 2015



ST Foreign Desk ?@STForeignDesk
Obama defends his multi-billion-dollar electricity initiative in Africa
http://str.sg/ZWzP #ObamaInKenya
12:11 AM - 25 Jul 2015


he Star, Kenya
✔ ?@TheStarKenya
US to give Sh101 billion fund for women centres in Kenya, Zambia, Mali - Obama. http://ow.ly/Q4gnG
11:54 PM - 24 Jul 2015 15 15 Retweets


ktn
✔ ?@KTNKenya
President Barack Obama listening to one of the youth entrepreneurs #GES2015Kenya

http://theobamadiary.com/2015/07/24/a-presidential-family-dinner/#comments

[sheshe2]

12. That 2nd picture

Is the best of the best, Cha.

[classof56]

8. K&R

And many thanks for posting.