Impact of Obama's arrival at NBO on July 24 2015 and photo ops?
Jun 2, 2012, 3:02 am
#1
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Obama photo op in Nairobi?
Hi guys
Just wondering if anyone knows if there's anything in the Kenyan capital named after the US Prez, any statue or painting in a public area? I'm basically looking for something to photograph! Maybe the markets have lots of Obama souvenirs?
Unfortunately won't have time to go to his father's birthplace in the west of the country.
Many thanks
Irelandflyer
Just wondering if anyone knows if there's anything in the Kenyan capital named after the US Prez, any statue or painting in a public area? I'm basically looking for something to photograph! Maybe the markets have lots of Obama souvenirs?
Unfortunately won't have time to go to his father's birthplace in the west of the country.
Many thanks
Irelandflyer
Last edited by JDiver; Nov 17, 2015 at 1:47 pm Reason: Restore original post title
Jun 23, 2012, 3:19 pm
#3
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No, there's nothing. Obama is no longer popular in Kenya after he snubbed them due to corruption issues. They want nothing to do with him anymore.
Jun 30, 2012, 6:58 am
#4
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That is not quite accurate - but as Mr. Obama's father was Luo (tribe), you would be more likely to find something named after the President upcountry near Kisumu / Lake Victoria.
Jun 30, 2012, 9:35 am
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Jun 30, 2012, 11:07 am
#6
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http://gardyloo.us/IMG_4508s.JPG
http://gardyloo.us/IMG_4486s.JPG
His grandmother:
http://gardyloo.us/Kenya8%20072s.jpg
Aug 30, 2012, 2:45 pm
#9
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Children's hospital in Kisumu:
http://gardyloo.us/IMG_4508s.JPG
http://gardyloo.us/IMG_4486s.JPG
His grandmother:
http://gardyloo.us/Kenya8%20072s.jpg
http://gardyloo.us/IMG_4508s.JPG
http://gardyloo.us/IMG_4486s.JPG
His grandmother:
http://gardyloo.us/Kenya8%20072s.jpg
Jul 11, 2015, 3:18 am
#10
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Impact of Obama's arrival at NBO on July 24 2015
I'm scheduled to fly out of NBO on the evening of Friday, July 24, which is exactly when the latest news reports from Kenyan newspapers indicate that President Obama is arriving there on Air Force One. Does anyone have info on his specific ETA, on the implications for travel on Nairobi roads leading to the airport or on security procedures for outbound passengers that day? I'm concerned about possible road closures or gridlock getting to the airport. (I have a friend who left downtown Nairobi for NBO on the day of a marathon. He left his hotel 5.5 hours in advance and still missed his flight.) And extra screening could make for very long lines getting into the airport.
I depart at 22:25. At NBO, are departing passengers allowed to enter the airport as early as we might wish or, like Entebbe and Kigali, only allowed to enter 2 or 3 hours in advance of their flight? If we head for the airport very early (perhaps mid-afternoon), is there a hotel or restaurant or other suitable place nearby where we could sit comfortably and kill a few hours?
Any wisdom out there would be appreciated!
I depart at 22:25. At NBO, are departing passengers allowed to enter the airport as early as we might wish or, like Entebbe and Kigali, only allowed to enter 2 or 3 hours in advance of their flight? If we head for the airport very early (perhaps mid-afternoon), is there a hotel or restaurant or other suitable place nearby where we could sit comfortably and kill a few hours?
Any wisdom out there would be appreciated!
Jul 12, 2015, 2:28 am
#11
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I was there when Sec State Hillary visited and it was pretty bad. However in your case it shouldn't be too bad if hopefully Obama has already arrived and gone into town by the time you head out to the airport. I seriously doubt Obama will set one foot in the airport. AF1 will park far away from the terminal and he will jump into a military convoy to head into town. And yes traffic, which is already horrible, will be serious gridlock when that happens. So you should do your best to find out when he is expected to arrive. Maybe your hotel concierge would know?
As for airport security I doubt it will be any different and yes you can arrive very early for your flight. I always prefer to arrive at the last possible minute because the lines are nothing then. But in your case it's hard to predict. And if you find out that Obama arrives at 7pm, you should absolutely wait til 8pm or 9 to go to the airport. You would likely not be able to access Mombasa road at all an hour before his arrival til an hour after.
Hillary stayed at the Intercontinental which is right smack in the center of town. Unfortunately for me that's my hotel in Nairobi and I was unaware of her visit. My taxi was challenged by an outer ring of soldiers about 800 meters from the hotel. They let us past, but the second ring of soldiers stopped my taxi about 400 meters from the hotel and I had to walk the rest of the way with my luggage. This was around midnight. At the hotel entrance they set up airport style screening which was run by local security with State Dept security watching them.
It was not pleasant and this was just Hillary. Obama is a polarizing figure with cult-like status in Kenya. So the streets will likely be lined with people both praising and damning him. I wonder if they will set up lodgings for him at the US Embassy since that is built like a fortress.
As for airport security I doubt it will be any different and yes you can arrive very early for your flight. I always prefer to arrive at the last possible minute because the lines are nothing then. But in your case it's hard to predict. And if you find out that Obama arrives at 7pm, you should absolutely wait til 8pm or 9 to go to the airport. You would likely not be able to access Mombasa road at all an hour before his arrival til an hour after.
Hillary stayed at the Intercontinental which is right smack in the center of town. Unfortunately for me that's my hotel in Nairobi and I was unaware of her visit. My taxi was challenged by an outer ring of soldiers about 800 meters from the hotel. They let us past, but the second ring of soldiers stopped my taxi about 400 meters from the hotel and I had to walk the rest of the way with my luggage. This was around midnight. At the hotel entrance they set up airport style screening which was run by local security with State Dept security watching them.
It was not pleasant and this was just Hillary. Obama is a polarizing figure with cult-like status in Kenya. So the streets will likely be lined with people both praising and damning him. I wonder if they will set up lodgings for him at the US Embassy since that is built like a fortress.
Last edited by stimpy; Jul 12, 2015 at 2:38 am
Jul 12, 2015, 5:01 am
#12
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Thanks very much, Stimpy. Sounds like roads especially could be a real challenge. I'll be with locals on the west side of Nairobi rather than a downtown hotel, so that's a plus.
If anyone hears of any details of arrival time or road closures, etc., I'd be most grateful if you could post them here.
If anyone hears of any details of arrival time or road closures, etc., I'd be most grateful if you could post them here.
Jul 12, 2015, 5:19 am
#13
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Bring drinks with you in the car. You could be there for a long time. The key is when he arrives and where he will stay. If you have time, go to the IC or Hilton in town and privately ask the concierge a day or two before. By then they might know.
I just realized they might transfer him by military helicopter. But then all the hundreds of journalists and staffers who fly on AF1 would still need to go by car and they would probably block Mombasa road for them too. But maybe not as bad. If you google around you can see article that report things such as this...
Meanwhile, Obama’s security team has already begun arriving for the president’s visit. At least eight U.S. marine helicopters have touched down in Kenya, with more armored cars landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Three military choppers were spotted at the Wilson Airport inside the Phoenix Aviation hangar, Kenyan police sources told the Star Thursday.
Last edited by stimpy; Jul 12, 2015 at 5:30 am
Jul 12, 2015, 5:38 am
#15
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That might be good, unless he arrives early in the day in which case you won't get anywhere near the airport til late afternoon. Since Kenya has been susceptible to a lot of serious Al Shabab terrorism lately, I think the secret service is going to break the bank with overkill security. If it were me I'd change my flight to leave a day early or a day later. Maybe the airline will let you change for free due to the circumstances.