Obama visits Tanzania

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Our American president visited Tanzania this week, the last stop on his African trip. He is widely admired there and his image appears on clothing and traditional kitangas.
 
I received a number of excited email messages from Tanzanian friends.  "Your Obama is coming to Tanzania!"

 
Crowds lined the roadways. The name of the oceanfront road leading to Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete's residence was permanently changed to Barack Obama Drive.
 
The major US news networks covering this trip commented on the coincidence of President Obama and former President Bush being in the country at the same time.  The images I saw on TV news showed the memorial ceremony that honored those who died at the 1998 US Embassy bombing, and there were some clips of Michelle Obama and Laura Bush speaking about life in the White House, for a forum of African first ladies.
 
But the big news reported in African sources was the announcement of Power Africa and Trade Africa, two development initiatives.  Power Africa aims to double access to electricity in sub Saharan Africa.  Tanzania's Minister of Energy estimates that Power Africa will extend electricity to 20 million Tanzanians.
 
What a life changing effort that will be, especially when electricity finally reaches not only the big cities like Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Iringa, but also the remote rural villages like Tungamalenga, Makifu, Idodi, Mahove, Makambalala, Kibaoni, Mpalapande.

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