Official Kenyan Delegation NOT Invited to Obama’s Inauguration
An official Kenyan delegation will not be invited to attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama which will take place on January 20, 2009 in Washington DC.
The office of US Ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger released statement saying this is accordance with past practice. “In keeping with past practice, the chiefs of diplomatic missions in Washington and their spouses are invited to represent their countries at the inauguration. “Without exception, no other official foreign delegations from any countries in the world are invited to the inauguration.”
The Government will be represented by the kenya ambassador to US, Peter Ogego, the statement added.
Kenyans have strong interest in President-elect Barack Obama as his father was Kenyan- born, shortly after CNN declared Obama the winner just before 7am (Kenya time) on Wednesday. Soon after Kenyan President Kibaki announced that Kenyans will on Thursday take a day off to mark the historic election of Obama to the most powerful office on earth. Even as the President made the declaration, Kenyans were already deep in celebration. From the sprawling Kibera slums in Nairobi to the senator’s ancestral home 400 kilometres west in Kogelo, jubilant Kenyans sung and danced in honor of a victorious son.