From Beast ride to warm embrace: Auma steals the show in Barack Obama’s arrival

US President Barack Obama embraces his sister Auma Obama as he arrives aboard Air Force One at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. (Photo: Reuters)

Nairobi, Kenya: Dr Auma Obama made history Friday by becoming the first Kenyan to ride in The Beast when she comfortably entered the car together with her brother US President Barack Obama.

Well, some may argue that President Obama himself is a Kenyan –American: that's fine, but Auma is a full Kenyan.

Dr Auma stole the show when she got a warm embrace from his smiling brother in what looked like a family reunion. Lest one forgets, in his Grammy award – winning book and New York Bestseller, Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama talks very passionately about his sister – the one who gave him a ride in her Volkswagen Beetle to Alego K'Ogelo when he came here looking for his roots.

And how things change! From a beetle to the most expensive and most sophisticated car ever made – brother and sister together from the same airport decades later!

Obama's sister had earlier arrived in a diplomatic registered white car adorning red and white number plates accompanied by an aide.

When it was apparent that Air Force One was descending into the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Runway Terminal 2 at 8pm, Auma was seen rushing toward one of the Beasts that was assigned to carry the US President.

She was accompanied by the US Ambassador Robert Godec and the little flower girl who was to present a bouquet of flowers to President Obama - the first ever sitting US President to visit Kenya.

At exactly 8pm Air Force One touched the runway, shaking the ground with its impact and making all alert and the battery of press jostling for positions to take a shot of history.

Saving best for the last

Five minutes later Dr Auma was in the que of VIPs being introduced to President Obama by his host President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Her introduction was saved for the last – because it was ultimately the best!

A warm embrace, direct eye contact and mirth of people who certainly know each other well and those that are true friends left Kenyans in admiration.

President Uhuru and his delegation and certainly the world (though from television screens) looked on – it was the longest chat at the airport between two people.

Dr Obama wore black pants with white jacket making her stand out from the crown and as she got done with the pleasantries she moved to let her brother sign the visitor's book – of course with his left hand.

When that was done, Auma was led to the window of the second Beast that the brother finally boarded after an earlier indication that he would use the first one.

And again another embrace in the car.

Well, whilst the West refers to Dr Auma as Obama's half-sister and vice versa, in Africa and especially among the polygamous Luo of Nyanza and Siaya County, children of step mothers or father are actually one's siblings.

There is nothing like half this and half that.

And prove that, when they finally got to the Villa Rosa Kempiski where the President was thought to be boarding, and a family dinner prepared, Dr Auma and her step grandmother Mama Sara sandwiched the American President at the table.