According to statistics, there are more than 250,000 Kenyans living in the United States. Many Kenyans came to the United States to seek further education. This I would say is the main reason behind the majority who are living here. Some came and overstayed their visas. And others do not know how they ended up here! They were young when their parents migrated into the United States. The logical progression is that those who come follow the process of being and becoming: That is, they find wives or husbands and marry. Some marry Americans, others marry people from South America, others marry fellow Africans, but others, and I would say many, choose to keep the genetic mutations consistent with their heritage and marry fellow Kenyans. No matter the mix-grill they become families.
After marrying, these couples have children, who according to the US laws are US citizens at birth. This then suggests that in addition to the 250,000 Kenyans, there are about 50,000 children who we can call Kenyan- Americans. We can therefore calculate and conclude that there are more than 400, 000 Kenyans who are living in the United States.
Democracy is not the rule of the people by the people and for the people; rather it is the rule of the majority. Democracy has absolutely nothing to do with ideology; rather it has everything to do with governing enough people to attend your wedding party!
When Democracy is done right, and it never is, a group that holds a certain ideology come together and use their majority power to push for principles, policies, and theories that help move society and governments in the direction they see fit.
It is this fact that must be instituted within the Kenyan community in the United States for Kenyan-Americans to become relevant participants in the American Democratic process. If it is true that the Kenyan community has more than 50,000 children who are American citizens, it is sad that we do not have a more powerful voice and presence in the United States government policies towards Kenya! What we have in President Obama is a Kenyan-American who has abandoned his country of origin to build his country of birth. It is sad that Obama’s father did not have a great influence on him to direct him towards a better home-bound philosophy; however it is also sad that Obama himself does not seem to understand Kenya’s historical development. His approach to Kenya, like his approach to American politics, reflects his mother’s ideology rather than his father’s!
Speaking to many Kenyans, I have come to hear their argument: “Well, I do not think my voice makes any difference.” Or, “Why would a US Senator or Congressman listen to me?” What many people do not know is that US Senators and Congressmen are the most available people in this country. I would argue that they are more available than some church pastors!
America is pro-Kenyan. The people on Capital Hill, though not directly involved in Africa, have an interest in what goes on in the continent. The problem is that what they know about Kenya is not from Kenyans; rather it is from American interest groups who qualify themselves as experts on everything from Kenya’s historical and cultural development to my mother tongue, Kikuyu, even though some spent only a week in the Maasai Mara on a safari! It is these people who right now have joined together with certain politicians In Kenya to push the Obama Administration to support Kenya’s Draft Constitution. That is why the constitution reflects more of the American Liberal agenda than the Conservative American agenda. Kenyans in America are never heard from.
The Immigration Bill in Arizona will not only affect Mexicans, rather, it will also affect many Kenyans who are in Arizona legally or illegally. The US budget includes provisions that affect funding of programs in Kenya. The debates in Washington also affect US policy towards Kenya!
That is why Kenyans should be involved in the American political process and parents must teach their children to be involved! Whether you are legal or illegal in this country, if you are a parent to a US citizen, you can help shape US Policy towards Kenya for the better.
By Teddy Njoroge Kamau, PhD, KEN Senior Editor and International Bureau Chief
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