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Kenyans react to Obama's 'begging' sentiments

Obama will land at Ng'iya Girls School playground.

Kenyans took issue with the bold sentiments made by former US President Barrack Obama’s sister, Auma Obama that Kenyans should stop waiting for aid and instead focus on building the country.

Speaking when she appeared on Citizen TV Thursday night, the Sauti Kuu Foundation founder warned that the coming of Obama would not solve Kenyan’s problem, unless themselves [Kenyans] opted to do something better.

“It is true Obama is coming to Kenya. He has done something, I have done something I can show the word. What have you done? Are we just waiting for the arrival of Obama so that we say we can be helped?

“Guys we need to get up and start working, do something to leave a legacy,” she told Citizen TV in an interview.

Avid blogger Robert Alai contends that her sentiments were uncalled for, faulting her attitude of reducing the people of Obama’s home K’Ogalo village into beggars.

“Talking about "Gonya", you realise that Auma Obama has that UGLY attitude of the extended Obama family. To her, Luos are just going to beg Obama nothing more. Now all the K'Ogelo people are just beggars and that's what she could see beyond the many issues she could have addressed,” blogger Robert Alai tweeted on Friday.

Kenyans react to Auma Obama's speech over Obama homecoming

Another tweep, Philip Etale, irked by the sentiments took to twitter, castigating Auma for her self-praises, trashing her earlier press conference.

“Auma, did you have to say all that about your people? Where I come from we say, humble yourself and you will be blessed. Even the Holy bible talks about humility. Your presser on Barrack Obama's visit was full of self-praise & unnecessary braggadocio akin to a baby eating chapo,” Etale tweeted.

Another netizen felt aggrieved given Obama, either way, did not help Kenyans during his eight year term as US president, adding that his coming would not make a difference.

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“So Dr. Auma Obama warned Kenyans that his brother was not coming to dish handouts to beggars, In Luo "gonya" or in Luhya "mbekho"! What she forgot is that Kenyans have lived all along without Obama's help and even when he was the POTUS he never assisted Kenyans in any way!,” Lloyd Onyango tweeted.

Jevans Omonge tweeted: “Why crime did Auma Obama commit? The lady has great initiative. The problem is that our people, hate the truth, and self-critique. As a people we need to be candid and offer viable solutions not living in denial.”

Another tweep, Jams Miyomo paused: “Who told Auma Obama that we are waiting for his step brothers to come and give us handouts?”

Sports Complex

Meanwhile, former US President Barrack Obama is set to launch a multi-million-shilling sports and resource centre in Siaya which will serve an estimated 1,000 young Kenyans weekly.

The facility targets youth aged between four and 25, where they will be able to read, browse the internet, play and get hands-on knowledge on eight different disciplines, including farming at the Sauti Kuu Foundation Sports, Resource and Vocational Training Centre, said Dr Auma Obama, the institute's founder and director.

Ms Auma said the institute has fields for football, volleyball, netball, boxing and table tennis and that so far, 470 children have been registered and about 80 youths and 87 parents are working there.

“The centre will have about 1,000 young people coming through our gates every week once the programme starts running. This is apart from the parents and the adults,” Dr Auma told journalists in Nairobi’s Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel.

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