No editorial checks on this article yet

This article is not approvedThe content of this article is not verified by the editorial team of Africanews.com. Read our editorial requirements to see the criteria we use to decide if we publish an article on the homepage of Africanews.

Africa brimming with hope after Obama victory

  1. Posted on Wednesday 5 November 2008 - 17:05
    deodatus
    deofuga@yahoo.com
    By Deodatus Mfugale

    Relatives and neighbours in the ancestral home of USA President elect, Barack Obama, took to the streets and danced with joy on Wednesday to celebrate the victory of their son who has written a new chapter in history as the first Black American President.
    The festivity that gripped most African countries was not only to celebrate Obama’s victory, but it was also a manifestation of expectations that the continent has that the Black American President would deal with the continent’s persistent problems of poverty and disease. As part of the celebrations, President Mwai Kibaki announced a public holiday for Kenyans on Thursday.

    Many Africans see Obama as their idol whose success would also see the realization of their dreams and a solution to their problems.
    Some countries ties who had strong ties with the outgoing Bush administration also hope that changing the guard will not mean changing of the rules and so expect to get more assistance from the new USA government. This year alone Tanzania has been granted about USD 1m through the Millennium Challenge Corporation and other bilateral agreements to be used in the treatment and cure of malaria , TB and HIV/Aids. Some money would also be directed to transport and infrastructure as well as good governance.
    Under the circumstances, Obama would be expected to at least sustain the life line if not to increase the aid package particularly that many Africans take him to be the son of the land.

    The general perception is that the US will now direct more support for development and raising the quality of life in the world’s poorest continent.

Latest News

  1. OPINION: Welcome to African Green Revolution24/05For the past century and a half, Africa has tried various agricultural approaches without much success.
  2. Egyptians vote in historic election23/05Egyptians began voting freely on Wednesday for the first time to pick their president in a wide open election that pits Islamists against men who serv…
  3. Africa Day 2012 - a moment for reflection and…22/0525th May is Africa Day. For many years it has been a celebration of African unity. It dates back to 1963 when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) …
  4. South Africa's African agenda21/05The Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Kgalema Mothlanthe paid a rare visit to Ghana in April at the invitation of John Dramani Mahama …
  5. Women struggle to rinse hunger, poverty stains21/05Just looking at her one clearly appreciates that she is old and frail therefore in need of support for food, clothing and shelter to live comfortably …
  6. Climate Climate change affects migratory birds…21/05Changes in the climate globally have affected the movement of both migratory and resident species of birds, Nature Uganda has said.
  7. Ghana: Foreign retailers cited for currency…18/05The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is attributing the sharp depreciation of the Ghana cedi against major currencies to the illegal activiti…
  8. Kenya: Community radio brings succour to…18/05Korogocho, a slum in northeastern Nairobi with 100,000 inhabitants, had many of the ingredients for a political explosion similar to those that rocked…
  9. Veld fires 'flame' Zimbabwe's…16/05Over the years, Zimbabwe has experienced the scourge of veld fires destroying property worth thousands of dollars.
  10. Liberia commends ECOWAS for support14/05The induction training of pioneer Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Volunteers for Liberia kicked off in Monrovia, with the Deputy Mi…
  11. Vanishing Lake Chad puts 30m lives at risk14/05As you approach the Lake Chad basin from Maiduguri, in north-eastern Nigeria, the evidence of despair is telling.
  12. Heavy rains cause havoc in Kenya14/05Heavy Rainfall continued to wreak havoc across the country leading to the suspension of relief food in some parts of the country as most roads in Turk…
  13. Zimbabwe: Growth points lie dormant14/05The Zimbabwean government mooted the concept of growth points in the 1980s as a means of decongesting cities and towns.
  14. Sierra Leone improves in infant mortality11/05Sierra Leone has improved in infant mortality cases according to Save the Children- World Motherhood index 2012 report. The West Africa country descri…
  15. Zimbabwe: Resettled farmers fail to utilize…10/05Resettled farmers in Zimbabwe are failing to utilize land due to inadequate farming inputs and lack of resources.
News archive