On the floor of the Kenyan National Assembly the day after Barack Obama was elected U.S. president, members of the African country's parliament celebrated "a Kenyan ruling the USA," calling Obama "a son of the soil of this country."
As WND reported, Kenyan MP James Orengo asked the nation's parliament only last month, "How could a young man born here in Kenya, who is not even a native American, become the president of America?"
And while none of the comments made on Nov. 5, 2008, were quite so blatant in identifying Kenya as Obama's birthplace, the declarations nonetheless claimed the president-elect as a Kenyan.
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"Could we allow … a Motion for Adjournment so that we could also continue the celebrations of having a Kenyan ruling the USA?" asked the MP for the Ikolomani Constituency, Dr. Boni Khalwale.
The mood on the floor of the Parliament was so raucous that day that an extended debate occurred on whether or not to call the session off to celebrate Obama's election victory. Several MPs were even reported missing, allegedly because they were still out partying.
Nominated MP Millie Odhiambo requested of the chair, "The president-elect, Mr. Obama, is a son of the soil of this country. Every other country in this continent is celebrating the Obama win. It is only proper and fitting that the country which he originates from should show the same excitement, pomp and color. I, therefore, seek leave of the House that we adjourn to discuss the issue."
Eventually, the chair was compelled to issue an official statement of congratulations in the effort to move the session forward. Deputy Speaker Maalim Farah delivered the statement, in which he echoed Odhiambo's "son of the soil" language:
"Honorable members, as you may be aware, the people of the United States of America have just had a historic election where the son of this soil, Barrack Hussein Obama, has been elected the 44th president of the United States of America and the first African-American president in the history of that country," said Farah, "please join me in registering and sending this House's congratulations to the President-elect Obama for overcoming great odds to emerge victorious."
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