Obama

Earlier this week we had the opportunity to attend a small function at the US Embassy in Kampala. Our project was chosen to receive a grant from the US Mission and so we were invited, along with the other recipients, to visit the embassy, sign the documents and pose for a few photos. It was an interesting experience having to go through the tight security and then, upon entering the building, feeling like you’d stepped into America.

In the lobby where we waited to be escorted to the meeting room, there were official portraits of Obama, Biden and Clinton. It made a lot of sense that on the wall of an embassy, you’d find the portraits of the Head of State and key government officials of that country. However, regarding this particular Head of State, one sees his image in all kinds of unlikely contexts around Uganda, so it was almost strange to see this portrait hanging in its proper place.

Yes, Obama is very popular here—or at least his image and name are very popular here. I’ve seen an Obama Restaurant and an Obama hair salon; a portrait painter in Kampala has used Obama’s face on the sign outside his shop; people wear Obama t-shirts and sport his image on the all-purpose kanga cloths women use as shawls, baby carriers, and head-coverings; the teachers at Kibaale Secondary School keep track of the date on a calendar poster covered with photos of the First Family. He's everywhere!

I don’t know if Obama has any plans to visit this region, but if he does, he’d be assured of a very warm welcome! People don’t seem to care much about the politics; he’s a US President whose father came from East Africa, and that is enough to have hair salons named in his honour! This t-shirt was hanging in the Kibaale village market. It reads:"Barack Obama: Two centuries ago, a band of patriots signed a document in Philedelphia. Now he's bringing it home."

Kanga cloths for sale