Kenyan villagers jubilant over victory

SCORES of jubilant villagers trooped to Sarah Obama’s home in western Kenya yesterday to savour her grandson’s victory as US Democratic party presidential nominee.

Crowds huddled around TV sets in the provincial capital Kisumu to watch excerpts of Barack Obama’s victory speech when he made history to become the first black candidate of a prominent US party.

“I was very delighted to learn that he had scored big against his rival,” an ebullient Ms Obama told reporters amid bursts of laughter.

“I’m very happy and continue praying that he succeeds in future.”

Pascal Onyango, a water vendor in Kisumu, said: “Finally one of our own is getting up there to the high seat in America.”

Excitement about Obama emerged as a global phenomenon yesterday.

Michael Cox, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, said Obama’s win “has sent out a lot of positive signals around the world”.

Indonesians were rooting for the man they consider to be a hometown hero. Obama lived in the predominantly Muslim nation from age 6 to 10.

In Mexico City, hairdresser Susan Mendoza’s eyes lit up when she learned Obama had clinched the nomination.

“Bush was for the elite. Obama is of the people,” she said.