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I wonder how the residents of the once unknown Kogelo village in Kenya are feeling today?
The huge TV screens that were temporarily donated and set up for Kogelo resident's benefit yesterday so that they could watch the US ceremony live, will have now been packed away. The jamboree that is the international media will have rolled out in their 4x4s, no longer interested in what villagers have to say about their 'brother' or 'son' becoming President of the United States. No more microphones, television cameras broadcasting live feeds, no more foreigners or exotic gifts from strangers.
Now the two bulls have been slaughtered for yesterday's celebration, meat consumed, villagers must face reverting back to their old life of poverty and hardship.
Dreams of cash rich American tourists flocking to Kogelo to pay hommage to their President's ancestral home may have been exaggerated in some minds. A brief taste of fame, excess and good fortune, 5 days of partying and today possibly back down to earth with a bump? I wonder how those Kogelo people are feeling now?
NB after writing this I hear that Kogelo now (almost) has a water supply for the first time ever. Standard 21/01/09; 'Lake Victoria South Water Serivces Board Chief exec said; "We have sunk two giant bore holes and we are planning to extend the pipes to the nearest river to increase output. There is no more thirst in Kogelo''' plus - they have already connected Obama's grandmother, two schools (both named after President Obama) a local dispensary and a health centre... So that's good...