[KenyanPatriot]

Back in Kenya, a 'cousin' plays the Obama card in his electoral quest
By Will Connors

Thursday, September 27, 2007
SIAYA, Kenya: Surrounded by a group of grimy, broad-shouldered mechanics and carpenters, Nicholas Rajula does not wait long to drop the name of the famous American from his village.

"The whole world is watching me now because of my relationship with Obama," said Rajula, who is running for Parliament.

But what that relationship is, exactly, is less than clear. Rajula claims to be a distant cousin of Senator Barack Obama, an assertion that has become a cornerstone of his campaign here in western Kenya. Obama's campaign denies that the two men are related, saying their only connection is geographic - Rajula and Obama's father are from the same village.

But the allure of Obama in this small, rural district is so powerful that few seem to focus on such distinctions. Rajula has become known as the candidate with ties to the Illinois senator and presidential candidate and he has done little to temper this notion.

Last year, Obama visited Kenya to a hero's welcome, and was mobbed by crowds as he met with local leaders and spent time with his family. A school was even named after him.

That trip proved to be a boon for Rajula, who is known locally for organizing much of the senator's itinerary in the western part of the country, though Obama's campaign would not comment on this. "The community gives a lot of respect to bravery and heroism," said Joshua Nyamori, a representative of the opposition party Orange Democratic Movement, of which Rajula is a member. "The fact that Rajula made arrangements" for Obama's visit "was quite a boost for him. To the community, that is one element of heroism."

Sitting in his living room eating hard-boiled eggs, Rajula, 47, who runs a textbook printing and distribution business, said that he did not plan to use the name of the senator for his own benefit, but admitted that it was often impossible to ignore.

"As much as I don't like to say it, the Obama name of course comes up," he said. "People here know that we are relatives and they talk about it."

Rajula appears to need whatever edge he can get. He is campaigning ahead of what will be only the second election not controlled by the ruling party since Kenya's independence, and the competition is evident even in the tiny district where Rajula is running - there are currently 17 other candidates vying for the parliamentary seat in tiny Alego-Usonga, a poor, agricultural district of sloping green hills not far from Lake Victoria.

Kenya will hold its parliamentary and presidential elections in December, and the atmosphere throughout the country is feverish. Political stories appear on the covers of newspapers every day, and bars and restaurants are filled with talk of the latest political developments and scandals.

Over the course of two days of campaigning in front of unruly and impatient crowds, Rajula or one of his aides mentioned the name Barack Obama at every stop.

Relatives, political pundits and voters, however, are divided over what kind of influence Rajula's connection - be it close or distant - to the American senator will have on elections here.

"I don't think he stands a chance," said Allan Okelo, 28, an insurance agent in Siaya. "The Obama relation will not affect his campaign. It will even be disadvantageous for him because people will believe he's using the name to get elected."

Sarah Hussein Obama is the Democratic senator's grandmother but she also considers herself grandmother to Rajula. "If Nicholas gets elected he and Barack can bring more attention to this area," she said. "That would be a huge blessing."

The senator's uncle, Said Obama, said that despite what many may think, Rajula is running on his own steam. "I think he got those aspirations even before Barack came into the limelight," he said. "But Barack's success has maybe been an added impetus."

Campaigning here can be both informal (shaking hands, tossing calendars out of cars), and organized (pre-arranged gatherings under shade trees with village leaders).

It can also be dangerous. There have already been several episodes of violence this year between rival political parties.

"This is one of the most violent regions in the country in terms of electoral violence," said Gor Semelang'o, a strategist for the governing NARC-Kenya party. "Bribery is widespread. The political environment is very volatile." During a recent stop on the outskirts of Siaya, one of Rajula's security guards tossed calendars bearing the candidate's face out the window as their SUV drove past.

One young man rushed to pick up a calendar, looked down at the picture of Rajula and frowned. "Who's this guy?" he said.

Other reactions were more hostile. Several bystanders ripped up calendars and threw the remnants at a following vehicle. Rajula said that he was "lucky" not to have been harassed further.

Their anger was due in part because Rajula was not giving out money freely, as is usually done when parliamentary aspirants make the rounds during campaigns.

One man put his hand on Rajula's arm and said, "Now that you've come and spoken to us and taken our time, can you just give us a little something for tea?" - a local euphemism for a handout.

Rajula spurned this come-on, saying he represented a new kind of politics in Kenya, although later in the day he did give out money, discreetly handing wads of cash to village leaders.

Doling out money can be easier once you've already served in Parliament, since Kenyan lawmakers are among the best paid in the world.

Their first order of business after being elected in 2002 was a pay raise, and there is new legislation pending that would increase the exit-bonuses for departing MPs by thousands of dollars.

Source: Back in Kenya, a 'cousin' plays the Obama card in his electoral quest - International Herald Tribune