Do you think it is true or propaganda by the media. Barack Obama's Half Brother Discovered in Hut in KenyaDiscovered from Googles Wednesday August 20, 2008
Barack Obama's youngest half brother has been living in a shanty town on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, the Italian edition of Vanity Fair reports. "No-one knows who I am," George Hussein Onyango Obama, 26, told the magazine. "I live here on less than a dollar a month." George's shack – which measures only 6 feet by 10 feet – features football posters and a photograph of the Democratic presidential hopeful from a newspaper. "I live like a recluse, no-one knows I exist," said George, who has the same father as the Illinois senator. "If anyone says something about my surname, I say we are not related," he added. "I am ashamed," he said of the way he lives. George, who recently enrolled in a local technical college, has met Obama twice: when he was 5-years-old and in 2006 when the senator visited Nairobi. "It was very brief, we spoke for just a few minutes," George recalled of the 2006 encounter. "It was like meeting a complete stranger." In his autobiography, Obama described George as a "beautiful boy with a rounded head." See photos of Barack Obama's biggest celebrity supporters. On Monday, NPR News aired an interview with the half sister of John McCain's wife Cindy, who is "upset" and "angry" that the potential first lady describes herself as an "only child." Kathleen Hensley Portalski told NPR: "It makes me feel like a non-person, kind of."
Life is good in my Nairobi slum, says Barack Obama's younger brother
George Obama, half-brother of Barack, hopes to become a car mechanic
Rob Crilly in Nairobi
The muddy lanes and rickety shacks of Huruma slum are known for their poverty, disease and outbreaks of gang violence — but for Barack Obama's half-brother it is the place he calls home. Yesterday, as the Democratic nominee moved ever closer to the White House, George Hussein Onyango Obama, the youngest of his halfsiblings, responded to claims that his family had abandoned him by insisting that he was content with life in a simple wooden hut. "Life in Huruma is good. In other places you must lock yourself in to keep yourself safe," he told The Times. "Here I am surrounded by friends and family and feel safe and secure." His home stands beside a dirt road that had turned to mud after a night of rain. Nearby, women fried spicy potato bhajis in vats of bubbling oil as the smell of rubbish wafted through the streets. Not far away six people were hacked to death during the political violence that rocked Kenya earlier this year. George, 26, had been living a quiet life, studying to become a car mechanic until earlier this week when Vanity Fair tracked him down to Huruma, on the edge of Nairobi.
He said that he was furious at subsequent reports that he had been abandoned by the Obama family and that he was filled with shame about living in a slum. "It seems there are people who want to destroy me and my family," he said. "They say I live on a dollar a month, but this is all lies by people who don't want my brother to win." He said that he was supported by his mother, Jael, who now lives in the US, and by a cousin in Huruma. The Obama family in Kenya watched with dismay as the campaign in the US turned increasingly negative. Reporters have tried to prove that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim and have tracked down friends of his father, portrayed as a drunk and abusive husband. Now they are worried that a careless comment in Kenya could have repercussions thousands of miles away. George is the youngest of Barack's seven half-brothers and sisters. He was born to Barack Obama Sr's fourth partner, six months before his father died in a car crash. Yesterday, over a simple lunch of barbecued goat and fistfuls of thick maize porridge, George admitted that he knew little about his famous half-brother. "People keep asking questions, but I have met him only twice and I can't speak about what kind of man he is," he said. "Many people don't know about my connection," he continued, dipping a greasy hunk of goat in salt before popping it into his mouth. "If people ask about my name I tell them we are not related. The problem here is that people have expectations and think I would look after them." Kenyan politics is synonymous with corruption and MPs are expected to shower cash and development projects on their home villages. George said he expected no favours and wanted to work for a living, even though he was confident that his brother would be moving into the White House. "He has already done so many firsts, as black president of the Harvard Law Review and getting the nomination, so we believe he will win," he said. That means the half-brothers and sisters, and the countless cousins, uncles and aunts that make up the Obama family will have to get used to being in the media spotlight.
It seems incredibly, presumptiously close to paternalism to me for Westerners to sit here and assume that everyone wants to live like them, in full contradiction of George Obama's own words. Poor little third-worlder, doesn't know what he really wants as well as you do?
Mac, NY,
Keep in mind that when Westerners insisted that the Inuit start living in "modern" style housing, they all started getting horribly sick on what we call the common cold, thanks to "modern" heating systems that circulated air poorly.
Mac, NY,
George Obama doesn't want his poverty to harm his brother. But he obviously is living in miserable conditions, and Barack Obama preached that the "greatest Moral Failing of America" is that the rest of us do not act as "our brother's keeper." What example does Barack Obama set? There's no excuse!
Steve, Boston, USA
I am appalled at the right wing radio hosts particularly Shawn Hannity who try to assassinate Sen Obama's character in regards to his half brother without reporting the details of the situation. Mr. Hannity conveniently omitted this fact which totally explains the Sen Obama's position.
Stephen Henderson, West Covina, USA
People forget the complexity of extended families,as compared to nucleus one's,which are common to life in the western developed world". In extended one's,with numerous siblings every one is expected to fend for themselves & hand out the excess to the siblings, if they ever ask!
Louis, Beijing,
It's heart breaking to see this poor man , BHO brother living in such condition in a hut with no door except for some cloth over the doorway. Eating food that BHO would vomit just by looking at it.
I hope BHO immediately move his brother from that hut and send him an allowance. Oprah help him.
Doris, Fort Lee, New Jersey
Mary, ask Cindy McCain's denied half-sister about compassion. And doesn't McCain have a dozen houses and about $36 million to Barack's $4 milliion? Who's really elitist?
Nadine, Farmington,
You can only help people who want to be helped and if George wishes to retain his independence and pull himself up by hiw OWN bootstraps then more power to him. Mind your own business! I am sure if he wanted help all he has to do is ask - but not everyone is out with a begging bowl - GO George.
Susan, Dallas, USA
So...Obama is solely responsible for a half-brother who wasn't even born until he was over 30 years old, who he's only seen twice in his life, who lives in a different continent, and who, as stated in THIS article, feels safe and secure. Shame on you McCainites! Even the mafia doesn't attack family.
Kbob, New York, USA
This total disregard of his brother only further proves his 'elitist" status. How can Obama have compassion for the "poor working folks" when he has such apathy towards his brother? But what else would your expect from one who has no compassion for an infant. He isn't what he tries to appear to be.
Mary, Jacksonville, Arkansas, US
Scary indeed how the American process of "electing" a President has become.
The problem is the questionable background of Senator Obama who could not pass eligibility for a security clearance if one is to believe the rhetoric.
The PM is "elected" by a safer process.
Payne, Honolulu, USA
I so agree with Dr. Alinta!! How can that man pretend to care about complete strangers', fellow Americans' well-being when he cares not a whit that his half-brother, or indeed own grand-mother, are living in slums below the poverty line. Gave her posters of him, I read somewhere.Ha!!!
elizabeth schumann, Paris, France
It is normal that people will want to know how Obama is taking care of his family, afterll they say charity begins from home. No matter how far removed Obama may think that George is from him, the truth is that they are still blood brothers. If you want to rule the world, start from home.
Dr. Godwin Alinta, Lagos, Nigeria
"dipping a greasy hunk of goat in salt before popping it into his mouth". Is this from The Onion?
GN, Dublin,
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It seems incredibly, presumptiously close to paternalism to me for Westerners to sit here and assume that everyone wants to live like them, in full contradiction of George Obama's own words. Poor little third-worlder, doesn't know what he really wants as well as you do?
Mac, NY,
Keep in mind that when Westerners insisted that the Inuit start living in "modern" style housing, they all started getting horribly sick on what we call the common cold, thanks to "modern" heating systems that circulated air poorly.
Mac, NY,
George Obama doesn't want his poverty to harm his brother. But he obviously is living in miserable conditions, and Barack Obama preached that the "greatest Moral Failing of America" is that the rest of us do not act as "our brother's keeper." What example does Barack Obama set? There's no excuse!
Steve, Boston, USA
I am appalled at the right wing radio hosts particularly Shawn Hannity who try to assassinate Sen Obama's character in regards to his half brother without reporting the details of the situation. Mr. Hannity conveniently omitted this fact which totally explains the Sen Obama's position.
Stephen Henderson, West Covina, USA
People forget the complexity of extended families,as compared to nucleus one's,which are common to life in the western developed world". In extended one's,with numerous siblings every one is expected to fend for themselves & hand out the excess to the siblings, if they ever ask!
Louis, Beijing,
It's heart breaking to see this poor man , BHO brother living in such condition in a hut with no door except for some cloth over the doorway. Eating food that BHO would vomit just by looking at it.
I hope BHO immediately move his brother from that hut and send him an allowance. Oprah help him.
Doris, Fort Lee, New Jersey
Mary, ask Cindy McCain's denied half-sister about compassion. And doesn't McCain have a dozen houses and about $36 million to Barack's $4 milliion? Who's really elitist?
Nadine, Farmington,
You can only help people who want to be helped and if George wishes to retain his independence and pull himself up by hiw OWN bootstraps then more power to him. Mind your own business! I am sure if he wanted help all he has to do is ask - but not everyone is out with a begging bowl - GO George.
Susan, Dallas, USA
So...Obama is solely responsible for a half-brother who wasn't even born until he was over 30 years old, who he's only seen twice in his life, who lives in a different continent, and who, as stated in THIS article, feels safe and secure. Shame on you McCainites! Even the mafia doesn't attack family.
Kbob, New York, USA
This total disregard of his brother only further proves his 'elitist" status. How can Obama have compassion for the "poor working folks" when he has such apathy towards his brother? But what else would your expect from one who has no compassion for an infant. He isn't what he tries to appear to be.
Mary, Jacksonville, Arkansas, US
Scary indeed how the American process of "electing" a President has become.
The problem is the questionable background of Senator Obama who could not pass eligibility for a security clearance if one is to believe the rhetoric.
The PM is "elected" by a safer process.
Payne, Honolulu, USA
I so agree with Dr. Alinta!! How can that man pretend to care about complete strangers', fellow Americans' well-being when he cares not a whit that his half-brother, or indeed own grand-mother, are living in slums below the poverty line. Gave her posters of him, I read somewhere.Ha!!!
elizabeth schumann, Paris, France
It is normal that people will want to know how Obama is taking care of his family, afterll they say charity begins from home. No matter how far removed Obama may think that George is from him, the truth is that they are still blood brothers. If you want to rule the world, start from home.
Dr. Godwin Alinta, Lagos, Nigeria
"dipping a greasy hunk of goat in salt before popping it into his mouth". Is this from The Onion?
GN, Dublin,