Kenya must milk Obama visit for all its worth

It has been interesting to watch Kenyans’ reactions to the visit later this month by US President Barack Obama. Jubilee, which has a surprising instinctive suspicion of the man from K’ogelo, has been trumpeting his visit as an achievement of the Uhuru administration while CORD, which has always associated itself with Obama’s government, has been loudly silent.

There are even allegations by some Jubilants, not substantiated though, that CORD has written to the POTUS listing issues that Obama must raise with the Kenyan leadership during his visit. This is classic Kenya; each side must harvest events of this nature in its own way for political mileage.

Away from the politics, anyone who has watched the Obama story right from the days he sprung into the political world through his Illinois Senate seat to his shocking double election in 2008 and 2012 must be thrilled that the man is finally coming home. His story is the stuff of legends, not to be replicated in America for a long time. It is easy to be dismissive of a visit by an American President. In any event we host presidents every other week. Believe you me; this column would not have trumpeted a George Bush visit. Let us be clear, this is not just about an American president visiting Kenya, it is Barack Obama, the first Black American president, he of Kenyan parentage. Right from his first visit to Kenya in 1992, chronicled in his book Dreams from my Father to this season when he is not just an American President but an international phenomenon, Obama has never tired from highlighting his “Kenyaness”.

In his inaugural speech as president and in many of his major speeches thereafter, Obama finds a way to sneak in a reference to Kenya. Even in the American Correspondents’ Dinners, his best jokes are about his alleged Kenyan birth. Anyone who participated or watched Uhuru’s visit to America will know that the Kenyan leader was treated with more deference than his peers and the photo-optics were definitely chummier.

I believe Kenya has wasted tremendous opportunity in using the gratuitous publicity that comes from Obama’s parentage to profile the country better. We cannot afford to lose this opportunity. For at least three days, the world media will focus on Kenya at no cost to us and not because of some disaster. Stories of K’ogelo and Obama’s Kenyan roots will be told and retold. We must find ways to piggyback on that free publicity by selling this gem that is Kenya as both an investment and tourist destination. There are several things we could do in this regard. One is already happening. The capital city is getting a makeover.

That is right and advisable. Those complaining about the “beatification” forget that even in our own homes we spruce our houses and take out the Christmas utensils when guests are visiting. I love flying into Nairobi these days; the city is gloriously lit up! Impressions matter and if those Americans leave knowing that we are a worthy investment and tourist destination, the few shillings we will have spent on the process will be worth it.

And while at it, can we do better info-packages on Kenya, not the tired stuff we often times peddle around!

Secondly the Obama season is the one when Brand Kenya must run those “Magical Kenya” adverts on CNN and BBC. The world must see not just Nairobi as Obama transits through the capital but the other delights we have to offer.

Thirdly, our Kenya-America business meetings must be better organised and targeted. By now we know what American investors are interested in. Let us be deliberate and get our best, not necessarily our richest and best connected, into the room.

Fourthly, POTUS or at least Michelle and the kids, must visit Mama Sarah. The story of Obama’s origins sells and will continue to sell long after Obama leaves. It will also allow people to see the other side of Kenya, including my favourite city Kisumu! Finally it will help if during the visit we tone down our political noise. It won’t affect out 2017 fortunes if we just keep our dirty linen hidden for that week. Karibu wuod K’ogelo.