Obama Next

US Vice-President Joe Biden landed in Nairobi at exactly 8.27pm Monday night, at the start of a three-day visit widely seen as Washington’s acknowledgement of Kenya’s progress on the reform front.

Heavy security was laid out for President Barack Obama’s deputy, with parts of Nairobi rendered no-go zones 10 hours to his arrival.

A heavy traffic jam built up in Nairobi, and there was virtually no movement of vehicles from the city centre to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from around 8pm.

A jovial-looking Biden, who is accompanied by his wife Dr Jill Biden, was received by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka.

The US Number Two is on his second visit to Kenya, having been here 25 years ago. Last night, however, he did not speak to the journalists at the airport. He is expected to meet President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga this morning before addressing a joint press briefing with the President. Biden is expected to deliver a special message from Obama, whose father was Kenyan.

Biden’s visit comes at a time when Kenya is in the process of enacting a new constitution.

Kalonzo said the American VP was welcome to interact and fraternise with Kenyans.

He said Biden was expected to Speak on reforms and discuss the security threat posed by Somalia.

"I hope the next one who comes calling after Biden will be President Obama himself," said Kalonzo. Yesterday, traffic was barred from some city roads and police announced that the arrangement would stay until Biden leaves.

Security at the airport was tight and cars parked close to the terminal Biden was to use were towed away to limit "unnecessary movement".

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officers, local General Service Unit (GSU) officers and US Secret

Service agents combed the JKIA for security threats.

In downtown Nairobi, motorists were turned away from roads adjacent to Hotel Intercontinental, where Biden will stay. Those affected are City Hall Way, Parliament Road and other adjacent roads.

Security at the hotel was beefed up and parking restricted. Other parking lots nearby were blocked by several security cars bearing US Embassy registration numbers.

Biden is the second US Vice-President to visit Kenya since Independence. The first was Hubert Humphrey, President Lyndon Johnson’s deputy, who landed in Nairobi from Mogadishu, Somalia, on January 7, 1968.

Kenya was then only five years into independence. President Johnson, also a Democrat like Obama, had been a personal friend of Kenya’s founding President Jomo Kenyatta, who was then the symbol of the struggle against colonialism.

Johnson had served as Vice-President to John F. Kennedy and was sworn-in as President on November 22, 1963, the day Kennedy was assassinated. He was re-elected in 1964 by 61 per cent of the vote and was, therefore, in office as Kenya worked its way out of the colonial yoke.

The US was instrumental in setting up structures to assist the new nation, including airlifts of Kenyan students to the United States.

Ideological Differences

The main issues in Kenya then included the crisis occasioned by secession attempts by the people of North Eastern Kenya and resulting sour diplomatic relationship with Somalia.

There was also the formation of the East African Community, which collapsed later due to ideological differences among the leaders.

It was against that background that Vice-President Humphrey flew to Kenya for a three-day visit. He met President Kenyatta, VP Daniel arap Moi, and impressed upon the Government the need to enhance ties with Somalia.

Parental Roots

Since then, the US has had nine presidents, including Barack Obama, who traces his parental roots to Kenya. National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, who is scheduled to meet Biden today, expressed optimism that the visit would open doors for more co-operation between the two countries.

"We have many areas of co-operation particularly here in Parliament with the US Government and the visit will just strengthen those ties," added Marende.

Speaking of security, the Nairobi Area Provincial Police Officer Anthony Kibuchi had earlier met a team of police officers.

They included those from the GSU, regular, diplomatic, CID and other undercover units. The officers had at the weekend met their US counterparts to work out details on security. The interest of Secret Service officers, who arrived in the country ahead of Biden, has been two major hotels that Biden and his team of 62 officials will be staying in.

Also in their radar were places that the US VP will visit, including Parliament Buildings and the University of Nairobi.

The Secret Service’s role is ensuring the safety of US VIPs such as the President, past Presidents, Vice-Presidents, presidential candidates, their families and foreign embassies. The Secret Service is a US federal law enforcement agency that is part of the Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided into Special Agents and a Uniformed Division.