News that President Barack Obama will be visiting the country have been received with a lot of excitement and caution in equal measure. But it is the events of the last one week that have made Kenyans stoop to an embarrassing low as the world’s most powerful president’s visit draws near.
From some university students threatening to commit suicide and doing other mischief if he does not address them, to anti-gay crusaders threatening to strip naked if he talks about gayism, human rights crusaders appeal for help because of harassment by state agencies among other demands, Obama’s to-do list bag appears to be full to the brim.
Yet he has not even scratched the surface of the subjects that will have brought him here. The media, which many people turn to as a source of information, has not made matters any better.
The US President will be attending the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES). Organised annually since 2009, the GES has emerged as a global platform connecting emerging entrepreneurs with leaders from business, international organisations and governments.
His trip will build on the success of the August 2014 US-Africa Leaders Summit that seek to accelerate economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions and improve security. It is here that is expected focus on counter-terrorism issues, development corruption and democracy issues.
There are very good reasons why, as a country must look forward to the visit. Smarting from frosty relations that existed between the two countries especially after the 2013 election of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was facing criminal charges at the International Criminal Court at The Hague — things have since changed after the ICC withdrew the case against the President — and retired President Kibaki’s policy to look for new trade allies at the Far East, the visit shows that the US values Kenya as a major trading partner in Africa.
With this trip, there is a reason for us to be optimistic that the old state of affairs in the two countries could change. One of the major benefits will be strengthening of economic and trade ties that will result from the visit. At the moment, Kenya is not a major trade ally of the US.
In fact, statistics show that trade between the two countries is largely in favour of the US. Kenya is ranked 92 as the super power’s export market and 95 import market. With the huge US market, Kenyans investors can get ready market for their goods.
Entrepreneurs must take advantage of the summit to exchange ideas and network with US and indeed other entrepreneurs from across the globe, who will be attending the highly publicised event. The writer is Deputy Chief Sub-Editor at People Daily.
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