Aug 24, 2006 7:10 pm US/Central
Obama To Discuss Corruption With Kenyan Officials
Senator Mobbed By Crowds At Nairobi's Airport
by Mike Flannery
NAIROBI (CBS) ―
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Obama plans to discuss corruption with Kenyan officials.
CBS
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Obama's arrival at Nairobi's international airport was greeted by a crowd of local officials, broadcast news crews and several hundreds just plain folks.
CBS
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Michelle Obama arrived in Nairobi on Thursday.
CBS
Crowds mobbed the airport in Nairobi Thursday as Barack Obama returned to the African homeland of his father.
The people's pride in Obama has them claiming him as an official citizen of Kenya.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports Obama says he'll use that status to fight government corruption there.
His arrival at Nairobi's international airport was greeted by a crowd of local officials, broadcast news crews and several hundreds just plain folks. It was all far different, Barack Obama told CBS 2 Thursday evening, than when he last visited this land of his father's birth 14 years ago.
"The first time I came here, that was very much a personal journey where I was discovering who he was and retracing his steps. I think this time out it's more of a public trip. I'm more interested in seeing how my daughters react to traveling through Africa," Obama said.
Later, Sen. Obama plans to speak to a local university about the terrible toll he believes corruption is taking on African economies, including this one. He was very interested to hear what happened to CBS 2 Thursday at the airport, where CBS 2 cameraman Marcus Richardson was forced to pay a surprisingly stiff $1,000 fee to bring a camera and editing gear into the country.
Sen. Obama said he may ask the president of Kenya about that Friday when they meet.
"Corruption has been pervasive in this country. It's considered one of the 20 most corrupt nations on earth in terms of just daily interactions, everything from the top of the government all the way down to the bureaucratic… at the airports," Obama said.
Also arriving in Nairobi Friday evening are the senator's wife, Michelle, their two daughters and two nieces. They will accompany him to the rural village where his father was born into a family of goat herders and where he is now buried.
Mike Flannery will continue his coverage of Obama in Africa Friday night at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on CBS 2 News.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Read About Mike Flannery's Travels With Obama
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