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From Bracknell (and Kenya) to the White House: Barack's family visit
Kiran Randhawa2 Mar 2009
THESE are the first pictures of Barack Obama inside the White House with his British stepmother.
Taken the day he was sworn in as President, they show him giving Kezia Obama and the rest of his extended family a tour of his new home.
Embraced by Mrs Obama, who travelled to Washington DC from her council house in Bracknell, the President proudly posed in an official reception for the family.
He is also surrounded by his half-brother Abongo, his sister-in-law, niece, nephew and other relatives, who all travelled from Kenya and were in the VIP enclosure for his inauguration in January.
Mrs Obama, 66, who was married to the President's late father, also named Barack, when they lived in Kenya, wore a traditional African outfit made in Tanzania especially for the big day.Abongo Obama, who flew from the family's ancestral home in Kogelo, western Kenya, just days before, said: "Barack gave us a grand tour of the White House. It was amazing to be in there with him. This is his new home. He has come a long way."
The 51-year-old accountant, who was best man at the President's wedding, added: "My brother had such a hectic schedule that day, but he still took time out for us."
Despite sharing the family's jubilation, he told of his fears President Obama could be assassinated.
"There are crazy people out there, there is always a danger someone will try to hurt him," he said. "That's something I worry about all the time. Security was so tight, yet there were times when he was out there shaking hands with the public and I just saw how exposed he is and it scared me."
He also revealed how his brother had sent a personal note to the family on official White House stationery once they returned to Kenya. The note read: "To the people of K'Obama - Thank you for the prayers and support!"
A similar letter was sent to the people of Kogelo, some of whom had travelled to the US for the historic occasion. The President's 86-year-old paternal grandmother Sarah was also in Washington DC for his swearing-in ceremony, as well as his half-sister Auma, 49, and half-brothers Ben, 38, and Abo, 40.
Mr Obama said: "I am looking forward to going back and staying with Barack at the White House, but it won't ever be the same.
"We can't just hang out like we used to and sit in a bar with a few drinks catching up. I will miss that and he will too but this was his dream, he knew he had to make certain sacrifices."
After marrying Mrs Obama, Barack Obama Snr went on to marry President Obama's mother Ann Dunham - an American he met during a scholarship to the United States. He eventually returned to his first wife, with whom he had four children, and died in 1982.
President Obama first met his Kenyan relatives during a trip to Africa in his twenties, after his father died.
THESE are the first pictures seen of Barack Obama inside the White House with his family including his British stepmother just hours after he was sworn in as President.
The family snaps given exclusively to the Standard reveal a private moment when Mr Obama took time out of his busy schedule to show his relatives around his new home.
Embraced by his stepmother Kezia Obama, who travelled to Washington DC from her council house in Bracknell, Berkshire, the President proudly posed in one of several grand rooms, for the first of many family portraits.
He is also surrounded by his half-brother Abongo, his sister-in-law , niece, nephew and other relatives, who all travelled from Kenya and were in the VIP enclosure for his inauguration in January.
Mrs Obama, 66, who was married to the President's late father, also named Barack, when they lived in their homeland of Kenya, wore a traditional African outfit especially made in Tanzania for the big day.
Pictured on the far left, Abongo Obama, who flew in from the family's ancestral home in Kogelo, western Kenya, just days before, said: "Barack gave us a grand tour of the White House. It was amazing to be in there with him. This is his new home. He has come a long way."
The 51-year-old accountant, who was best man at the President's wedding, added: "My brother had such a hectic schedule that day but he still took time out for us."
Despite sharing the family's jubilation he told of his fears President Obama could become an assassination target.
"There are crazy people out there, there is always a danger someone will try to hurt him, that's something I worry about all the time," said Mr Obama. "Security was so tight yet there were times when he was out there shaking hands with the public and I just saw how exposed he is and it scared me."
He also revealed how his brother had sent a personal note to the family on official White House stationary once they returned to Kenya. The note read: "To the people of K'Obama - Thank you for the prayers and support!"
A similar letter was sent to the people of Kogelo, some of whom had travelled to the US for the historic occasion. The President's 86-year-old paternal grandmother Sarah was also in Washington DC for his swearing-in ceremony as well as his half-sister Auma, 49 and half brothers Ben, 38 and Abo, 40.
Mr Obama said: "I am looking forward to going back and staying with Barack at the White House but it won't ever be the same. We can't just hang out like we used to and sit in a bar with a few drinks catching up. I will miss that and he will too but this was his dream, he knew he had to make certain sacrifices."
After marrying Mrs Obama, Barack Obama Snr went on to marry President Obama's mother Ann Dunham - an American he met during a scholarship to the United States. He eventually went back to his first wife, with whom he had four children, and died in 1982.
President Obama first met his Kenyan relatives on a trip to Africa in his twenties after his father had passed away.
Reader views (4)
Norbert,
Whilst I cannot answer for Steve I have always been of the opinion that unless your parents were working overseas in the service of the Crown any person not born in Britain is not British irrespective of colour as the sole reason they have acquired British citizenship is due to the arbitrary rules, which are in place at the time.
Similarly I do not regard anybody not born in London to be a Londoner.
- Mark, South-East London, 03/03/2009 08:35
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Until 1971 I believe (correct me if I am wrong), all citizens from Commonwealth countries (of which Kenya was, and still is, one) were automatically eligible to apply for a British passport if they settled in Britain. I don't know how long Mrs Kezia Obama has lived in the UK, but given her age (66) it is likely that she could have been gained her British citizenship in this wayl.
- Pat, East Kent UK, 02/03/2009 15:53
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to steve, london, do you think that maybe she is a naturalised brit? bigotry will never end, in you mind she can never be british coz she's black right? i await your response.
- Norbert -Gooner, london, 02/03/2009 14:39
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'British' stepmother?I think not.
- Steve, London, 02/03/2009 11:56
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