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I still recall the exact moment in November, 2008, standing in a field in his ancestral village of Kogelo, half a world away from Washington D.C., when it was announced that Barack Obama had won the presidency.
Children were muttering in their classrooms and plumped down in front of television sets, hastily brought out by their teachers to witness history unfold. It was an extraordinary day.
Kenya today has new heroes and a new found sense of confidence thanks to its remarkable technological transformation, including in Kogelo which now has electricity and tarmac roads. The changes are also due to massive investment from Kenya's eastern friends. China is the new rich uncle, investing in roads, railways and real estate.
That's not to say there is no longer excitement about President Obama's visit, but the fantasy has gone. And the T-shirts and trinkets, many of the "Made in China", aren't as prominent as they were in 2006. The sands of time, it seems, are shifting and changing allegiances mean America'll have to work a little harder to buttress the friendship and reclaim some of the political leverage it once enjoyed. So what's happened?
Well, the two fell out spectacularly over the decision by Uhuru Kenyatta to run for the Kenyan presidency in 2013. At the time, Mr Kenyatta was facing criminal charges connected with an earlier disputed election. Some months later, Mr Obama delivered an almighty snub to the Kenyans bypassing their country on an African tour, marking his second term in office. | 
发表于 2016-8-30 17:26:45