News to Know

Obama to Forgo Kenya during Visit to sub-Saharan Africa

By George Bamu on May 22, 2013

Obama in Ghana in 2009

Speculation that President Obama would visit Kenya, the home country of his father, during his second visit to sub-Saharan Africa as president of the U.S. appears to have been put to rest.

Though a visit from Obama would have provided Kenya with good news to help cool things down after tense elections ushered in a new era with Uhuru Kenyatta at the helm as president, Obama is not currently scheduled to make a visit to the East African country.

Rather, the U.S. administration may be sending Kenya a subtle message by skipping the country while Obama is on the continent, according to the New York based Global Information Network (GIN).…

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Nigerian-born Masai Ujiri Named 2013 Top NBA Executive

By George Bamu on May 12, 2013

NBA Executive of the Year 2013_Ujiri

Masai Ujiri, the first African-born general manager of a major American sports team, recently accepted the NBA Executive of the Year award.

The NBA Executive of the Year is not just an award, “but the rare NBA honor that is actually voted on by colleagues and front office peers,” according to Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo Sports.

Nigerian-born Ujiri, named to his current position as general manager of the Denver Nuggets in August 2010, came to the Nuggets after three years with the Toronto Raptors.

In this story about the NBA award presented to Ujiri, he “was instrumental in assembling a balanced roster that featured nine players averaging between 8.0 and 16.7 points and a bench that ranked second overall in scoring (41.3 ppg).…

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Uhuru Child Invites CU Students to Help End Poverty in Kenya

By Maggie Bridgforth on May 6, 2013

Uhuru Child

One hundred and thirty people, many of them students from the University of Colorado at Boulder, gathered for an Uhuru Child benefit concert on April 25.

Uhuru Child, an organization that creates employment for adults and provides children access to quality education in East Africa, hosted its first ever concert at Shine Restaurant and Gathering Place in Boulder, Colorado.

The event raised over $1,300 and helped create awareness for the organization’s mission – to find creative solutions to fight poverty – on the CU campus.

Local bands The Whicker and Pine , The Belle Jar and Jay Kraemer and Friends played and helped Uhuru raise awareness for the organization’s mission to end poverty in Kenya.…

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As Kenya turns 50, Denver city officials “want direct flights to Nairobi”

By George Bamu on May 4, 2013

Michael Hancock and Kenyans in Colorado

Independence Day celebration for the Kenyan Community of Colorado (KCC) is a big event. Kenya gained freedom from British rule in 1963.  Far away in Denver-Colorado, inside the Artwork Network, on May 4, Kenyan natives and the international community sang cheers and praises to the East African nation.

It is not only “Jubilee time” for Kenyans around the world, but a time when the community needs to know where they come from.

‘It is a moment to look ahead and see,” said pastor Ndegwa Mwangi who opened the event with prayer for God to bless Kenya.

‘Fifty years ago the citizens of Kenya did not have the freedom we have today,” said Deputy Chief of Mission at the Kenyan embassy in Washington DC , ambassador Jean Kamau.…

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Never too late: Somalia’s long quest for stability wins U.S. accolades

By Larcus Pickett on April 29, 2013

Hassan Mohammad and Hilary Clinton

January of this year marked a new chapter in Somalia’s quest for stability and security. It is the classic case of the African news that never was.  For one thing, whereas the story was reported by many a news media outlet, the full impact of the change in the country is yet to be visible to the outside world, and so it seems like nothing really happened. But indeed change is taking place in Somalia.

For the first time since 1991, the United States formally recognized Somalia’s government under the leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The renewed partnership between the United States and Somalia continues both nations steady fight against terrorism and the establishment of stability through democracy.…

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African community challenged to use persuasion, help navigate U.S. health care system

By George Bamu on April 28, 2013

Alok Sarwal

If the United States is a melting pot it is because of the diversity of immigrants in the country who come from the four corners of the globe. While this is the case, once in the America, some immigrants face more challenges than others.

It is a disparity that is evident in the health care system and often times defines how and why some communities cope and survive better than others.

Within the health care bureaucracy,  it is not just differences in culture that Africans bring with them; it is also issues of “poverty, language, racism and education” which they confront while in America.…

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Obama meets with African leaders who “exemplify progress” in the continent

By George Bamu on March 28, 2013

African leaders at White House

U.S. president Barack Obama met Thursday, March 28 with the leaders of Senegal, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde.

It was no ordinary meeting. Perhaps as a clear sign of some sort of a ‘litmus test” the White House has set for African leaders, the guests were carefully selected for this meeting.

How do we know this? In the president’s words, “the reason that I am meeting with these four is, they exemplify the progress that we are seeing in Africa,” Obama stated. So, what about the leaders who do not exemplify the kind of progress the White House would like to see in Africa?…

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2011 Africa Agenda