Obama's granny can't cope with celebrity status in Kenya

Nairobi, December 6 (ANI): Barack Obama's grandmother, Sarah Obama, has become a celebrity in Kenya ever since he has been elected 44th U.S. President, prompting the governments of both countries to take full charge of her security.

The number of guests visiting Sarah's home in Alego Kogelo, Siaya, is said to have increased tenfold since the U.S. election on November 4.

According to reports, the American and Kenyan governments have restricted her movements for security reasons.

The authorities have been monitoring every move at her home as January 20, when Obama will take over as American President, is drawing near.

"She (Sarah) is now a VIP and must be treated as so. We do not want to leave anything to chance," The Standard quoted a senior police officer at the Nyanza Provincial headquarters as saying.

Sarah, 87, used to live a simple villager's life before Obama's historic election. But she presently has electricity that took the Government just a week to install, a fence, a metal gate, and a police post.

There is a visitor's book at the gate and another outside her home, which show that a raft of personalities and organised groups have visited thus far.

Sarah's village has turned into a huge tourist attraction, with visitors from far and wide thronging to see the place that produced the man who has re-written history.

However, the ever-jovial grandmother is apparently finding it difficult to cope with her celebrity status, for she has to keep up with a busy schedule despite a bad knee.

She has so far shaken hands with hundreds of thousands of people, posed for pictures with hundreds of dignitaries, and fielded questions from countless number of journalists across the globe.

"This visitors are many and I do not even have the time to go to my kitchen to cook as I use to do," said Sarah.

She added that she had been overwhelmed by visitors, and that she had never seen such a scenario before. (ANI)