Last week I spoke with Festus Wambi and Brian Omolo - two childhood friends who come from the same tribe and village in Kenya as Barack Obama's father. Siaya is a rural village in the western part of the country, populated primarily by the Luo tribe - the second largest tribe in Kenya.
Since Obama entered the national spotlight, Kenyans have fixed their eyes on the American election process like never before, supporting his candidacy with overwhelming enthusiasm. Conversely, Obama's remaining Kenyan relatives have been swarmed by a steady stream of reporters eager to learn more about his family history.
Though not often talked about, Barack Obama's candidacy has connected the two nations in a way never before seen in an American presidential campaign. As Wambi attests, it's been an inspiration to himself, to Kenyans, and a bridge between Kenyans living in the U.S. and their families back home.
Watch the video here.
-c