Kenya: 7 new babies named after Obama

  1. Posted on Wednesday 5 November 2008 - 08:30
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    Dennis Itumbi, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
    Seven new-born children were named after Obama across Kenyan hospitals Wednesday, while a baby girl in Eastern Kenya was named Mitchelle Obama as the excitement of Obama's win reached fever pitch.
    Barack_obama_US_senate
    Two of them in Coast province, one each in Central and North-Eastern, two in Nyanza and the rest in Rift Valley Province were named after the victorious Presidential-elect.

    Joyce Muthoni who delivered 3.4kg Barack Njagi Obama at the Embu Provincial General hospital said, "We (parents) did not think twice we forgot the pain of labour immediately and knew that the baby was born to hope and we named him after the symbol of hope."

    That came just when two streets in Kisumu, the United Nations Millennium City where Obama's grandmother lives were renamed after him and even the highest currency denomination was named "Barack."

    A matatu (Kenyan version of a mini-bus) tout explained, "we have been calling the Kshs. 1,000 note Ndovu (swahili for elephant) but now we have our true elephant, we shall now call it Barack."

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