Kogelo in “mourning” after Trump victory

Dennis Tarus

November 10, 2016 3:23 PM

A sombre mood engulfed the small village of Kogelo in Siaya County after the announcement of President elect Donald Trump’s win over Democrat rival Hillary Clinton in the US elections.

The village was thrust in the limelight after Barack Obama won the US presidency as it is his ancestral home and where his grandmother Mama Sarah Obama lives.

The residents were heavily rooting for Clinton who was seen as a continuation of the Obama administration and policies.

Obama had publicly endorsed the former Secretary of State who he appointed under his administration and even campaigned for during the run up to the elections.

Shock and disbelief

The news came as a shock and the locals were left in disbelief as their worst fears were confirmed on Wednesday morning.

Villagers had on Tuesday conducted a mock poll where they overwhelmingly voted for Clinton.

“We are crying since we knew Clinton would be a good mother and protect not only Americans but also here,” Benta Odongo, a resident at Kogelo said.

A party which had been planned to celebrate Clinton’s victory was called off as disappointment swept the village.

The villagers say they are now afraid that the development experienced in the last eight years due to their links with Obama would now come to a halt after Clinton’s loss.

Kogelo goodies

Soon after Obama’s ascension to the presidency, the Kenyan government connected the village to the power grid and drilled a borehole to provide Kogelo with both electricity and clean drinking water for the first time.

Within a year, the village got its first police station as the government paved the road from Kogelo to Kisumu.

The area also receives an annual steady flow of tourists eager to see the place where President Obama traces his roots.

A multi-billion shilling international university, a youth empowerment centre, a 15,000-seater sports complex and an ultra-modern early childhood development centre were the latest projects targeted for the small town in Siaya County.

Dennis Tarus