whats the fuss about Obama's snub of Kenya

By Abdullahi Boru
What’s the fuss about Obama's Kenya snub?

Kenya and Obama obviously share a history. But it should not be overplayed. Obama Snr worked with Mwai Kibaki at the Ministry of Planning, both as Post Independence bureaucrats who were enthusiastic to serve their country. As fate will have it both Obama junior and Kibaki’s have again crossed path. Although, in different circumstances. While Barrack is the President of the United States, Kibaki is the president of Kenya. And the young Barrack has decided to snub Kibaki .
A meal has been made of his snub of Kenya during his first official visit of Africa. Many commentators have made it sound like this is the end of “Kenya favored” status in the White House. Let’s be patently clear, there is nothing intrinsically useful in being a United States partner. If anything, being in good books in this global age only invites trouble from those American haters. And they're not in short supply. If in doubt, ask Britain which has suffered multiple attacks because of its close association with the Bush policies in the Middle East.
Granted Obama’s father, Obama Snr was a Kenya. As a result many in Kenya have come to expect that Kenya will have a favored status in the United States. Far from that, Tanzanian President has instead been the first African President invited to the Obama’s White House. Obama is displaying tough love to Kenya! Tanzania’s diplomatic stock has been on the rise, for quite sometime now. This is without a doubt as a result of the country’s profile as an island of peace, in the true sense of the word. Frankly speaking, what are the benefits of Kenya being in the good books of the United States?
For a long time, the united States sitting Presidents beginning with Bill Clinton have been snubbing Kenya. They have both visited the neighboring states of Uganda and Tanzania, and giving cold shoulder to Kenya. During his swan song visit Clinton visited Tanzania and Uganda, and the then President Moi was asked to attend as a guest. He dully did. Presidents of Uganda and Tanzania’s wives were seen cleaning the streets. Clinton didn’t even drink water from those two countries. Instead he had everything of his from the United States. This is without mentioning the security and other unnecessary hustle that people have to go through, including the loss of internet for some time.
US presidents’ visits are usually nothing but mere symbolic diplomatic gestures. For most part they are just accompanied by industry captains lobbying for certain business deals and bureaucrats pushing for certain issues. This is followed by signing of grants and aid agreements that amounts to nothing. During the recent meeting between Obama and Kikwete , they agreed that United States will support African agriculture. Haven’t we had that agriculture is the back bone of the economy since independence? The US envoy to Africa Johny Carson, who was a former ambassador to Kenya, said that the Bush policy towards Africa will continue
While it’s inexcusable for the current government to be in involved in endless chicken fights, they shouldn’t nonetheless loss night sleep because they have been snubbed by Obama in favor of Ghana or another country for that matter. The working toward good governance, rule of law and respect for human rights should not be something we should do it to please Washington or London. Obama has more on his table already including, but not limited to collapse of the entire financial architecture two wars going on at the same time and the angry and hungry Republican who are waiting and praying for his fall, as the reprehensible right wing radio show host Rush Limbaugh said recently.
With the United States reliant on the Chinese to buy its government bond in order to stay afloat economically, the US will not be a dominant player as it was in the last decades. So, using the carrot approach which has served the US so well diplomatically will not be that useful. Currently the US is indebted to China to a tune of 2 billion in terms of the government debts and these figures might rise with the current financial crisis biting even more. Instead of worrying about the America, which in this case needs Kenya more in the fight against the “terrorists” in the Horn of Africa, Kenya should build more alliance with China. One of the advantages of working with China unlike the US is the fact that you will not be subjected to the conditionalities that have become the modus operandi of the United States. A smart strategic engagement with China in areas of mutual interest that the usual one way traffic that has marked the decades of engagement with the West will the way out. China’s energy demands are overwhelming, Kenya’s infrastructure need is desperate, these can be one are for mutual engagement.