Ambassador McCarter back to ‘his roots’ as Tharaka elder

The new United States ambassador to Kenya, Kyle McCarter (pictured), will today be installed as an elder of Tharaka, a community where he lived with his family for several years.

McCarter lived with his father, Calvin McCarter, and family at Mukothima and are respected by the villagers for setting up a health centre, school and children’s home, which have changed livelihoods in the village located in the semi-arid Tharaka North Sub-county. The approval of Kyle as the new US ambassador to Kenya has been viewed as a blessing by the residents of Mukothima.

Most of them said they hope the county leaders will take advantage of the close ties the envoy has with the community to work with him and transform livelihoods.

Locals and leaders who spoke to the Saturday Standard ahead of the event to be held at the Mukothima Catholic Church grounds believe the return of the former Republican member of the Illinois Senate will rekindle the attachment McCarter and his son Kyle had with the Tharaka community where he first brought his charity ‘Each One Feed One Kenya’ in the 1980s.

McCarter worked in the area from 1984 to 1989 and left a health centre that was later named ‘Kwa Makata’ - a corruption of his name - which has been of great help to residents of Tharaka North.

John Kiongo, a resident, said locals interacted closely with the family, which at times shared a compound with the less fortunate in the community.

Kiongo said he knew Kyle when he was a boy as he always accompanied his father during his trips to Kenya.

After age took a toll on the senior McCarter, Kyle took charge of the projects and expanded the charity to Thanatu village.

What makes the community to refer to the envoy as their son is the construction of a bridge on Thanantu River, connecting Mukothima and Nkondi wards.