Today Tuesday 4th November 2008, the people of the United States have gone to the polls. The people of a small village have already voted by 15 votes to 6 for Barack Obama, the first African American to lead a major party.
That is already historic. All polls indicate that a blackman would be doing the worlds most important job in the next four years. All over Africa, people are waiting in expectation for something great to happen. Obama, God willing is the first major indicator that this is Africas century. Africa will rise again “ we all pray. Africas rise under Obama would not be because the policy of the United States towards Africa would be transformed. Indeed the current war against terrorism that the United States is waging on many fronts as well as the rising economic woes would take the attention of the new president. He would have to perform twice as much as a White man to be accepted as having performed well giving the racist undertones that have refused to go away from the United States.
Furthermore, the poor opinion people have of the United States around the world would require serious attention because the new President would have to demonstrate that he is a friendly as he is tough. That he can smile as well as a bomb. Americans would definitely be safer under Obama than under McCain.
For Africa the Obama victory need to jolt our politicians and leaders from the continuing primitivism that are growing from country to country. First, Africa people would need to be freed from the chains of their leaders to vote and determine who should rule them. The shame that have been visited on Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe in the name of elections need to stop. Obama would very well need to make it clear to African leaders that it is no longer business as usual. Votes in Africa must begin to count.
Secondly, the high walls of tribalism, xenophobia and sectarianism in Africa which have been constructed and are constantly being raised by African leaders and politicians need to be brought down. Isnt it amazing that while Americans would accept an Obama to become their head of state, ethnic groups are rejecting each other in Africa. South Africans who went on rampage early this year slaughtering fellow Africans should bury their heads in shame as a Kenyan, by our African definition, is now accepted to be the head of state of the United States.
It is saddening that most Africans are dangerously unaware of the fact that identities change. Today Obama is no longer a Kenyan. Most Gikuyu, if only they cared to check, would realise that they were not originally Gikuyus. Their identities have been changing over time. Obamas victory should bring to the firing squad the evils of tribalism and xenophobia.
As Americans vote today “ we pray they really help Africa get out the mess it is in “ and make the world safer by voting in the face of change and of peace: Barack Obama