Obama urges calm in Kenya

[alteredstate]

"Democratic U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama, whose father was from Kenya, on Wednesday called for an end to the tribal violence that has roiled Kenya since its disputed election.

In a statement broadcast over U.S. government-funded Voice of America radio, Obama, who seeks to become America's first black president, said he was "deeply troubled" by the turmoil in the east African country.

"The instability and tragic violence pose an urgent and dangerous threat to the people of Kenya, and to Kenyan democracy," said Obama, who is running for the Democratic nomination for the November U.S. presidential election."

http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN322836.html

[demnan]

1. It would be interesting to have a President

with ties to Africa.

[alteredstate]

2. I agree! n/t

[daa]

3. They just had their election stolen

does anybody think they care what he says?

[Igel]

4. Some certainly will.

The dispute is at least partially Kikuyu vs. Luo, the number 1 and 3 tribes (for population ... probably 1 and 2 for political importance). Kibaki is Kikuyu, Odinga is Luo.

Obama's father was Luo; the Luo 'claim' him and he's a matter of pride for his family and clan, and probably (by extension) for the Luos in general.

By not openly supporting Odinga, he's done a good thing. By calling for calm, he's done a good thing.

Were he to be a negotiator, that would be a bad thing: Kikuyus might not trust him, and Luos would probably expect him to help them. At least the majority of them, the poor and pretty much uneducated.