News / International
Obama's brother endorses Trump
26 Jul 2016 at 01:47hrs | Views
United States President Barack Obama's half-brother Malik says he endorsed the election of Republican Party candidate Donald Trump because he is a "down-to-earth" person.
An excited Trump yesterday tweeted that Mr Malik will vote for him.
"Wow, President Obama's brother Malik just announced that he is voting for me," tweeted the flamboyant billionaire, who will fight it out with Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton for the White House.
On Sunday, Malik described Trump as a visionary leader who will help transform the US economy.
"Donald is a down-to-earth kind of person, he also approaches issues directly and does not mince his words and being a candidate of the Republican Party I support his candidature," said Malik in a phone interview with the Nation.
Malik said he supports the Republican Party because it had stopped the deportation of his aunt Zeituni Onyango.
Ms Onyango was the half-sister of Obama's father.
According to Malik, then US President George Bush came up with policies that accommodated Onyango, who was given asylum.
Onyango went to the US in 2000 and sought political asylum in 2002. Her asylum application was rejected in 2004, and she was ordered to leave the US.
She, however, refused to leave and sought American citizenship. However, a court granted her asylum in 2010.
Onyango died in April 2014 and her body was flown to Kisumu for burial.
The relationship between Malik and his famous brother has been frosty. Malik in 2008 opposed then senator Obama's candidature for the US presidency.
Yesterday, Malik accused President Obama of ignoring his Kenyan family and the African continent after he was elected the first black president of the US despite using his Kenyan roots as a strong pillar of his 2008 presidential campaigns.
"President Obama is my brother and I love him, but he is a hypocrite because he has neglected his African heritage and wants nothing to do with it despite campaigning on a platform that he will help transform Africa," said Malik.
He urged Americans to vote for Mr Trump and Republican Party candidates.
Already, President Obama has endorsed Mrs Clinton, saying she is the most qualified to succeed him and protect his legacy.
Meanwhile, chaos broke out ahead of the US Democratic Party convention yesterday as protesters jeered the party chairwoman over leaked emails showing Democratic officials worked to undermine Bernie Sanders in his presidential primary battle with Hillary Clinton.
Hours before the start of the four-day gathering to nominate Clinton for the White House, outgoing Democratic National Committee head Debbie Wasserman Schultz struggled to be heard above boos as she spoke to the Democratic delegation from her home state, Florida.
Protesters held up signs that read "Bernie" and "E-MAILS" and shouted "Shame", as she spoke. Others at the meeting cheered and clapped for Wasserman Schultz, who is stepping down over the email controversy. She promised to work hard for a Clinton victory over Trump in the November 8 election.
"We know that the voices in this room that are standing up and being disruptive, we know that is not the Florida we know. The Florida we know is united," the congresswoman shouted over the noise of the crowd.
It was an embarrassing prelude to the convention in Philadelphia, which Democratic officials had hoped would convey no-drama competence in contrast to the volatile campaign of Trump. The New York businessman was formally nominated for president at a chaotic Republican convention in Cleveland last week.
At least one national opinion poll showed Trump benefiting from a convention "bump" and pulling just ahead of Clinton, having lagged her for months.
The cache of emails leaked on Friday by the WikiLeaks website disclosed that DNC officials explored ways to undercut Sanders' insurgent presidential campaign, including raising questions about whether Sanders, who is Jewish, was an atheist.
Wasserman Schultz resigned on Sunday, effective at the end of the convention, after the leak of more than 19 000 DNC emails put the spotlight back on Sanders' failed bid to win the nomination and in particular on his complaints during the campaign that the party establishment was working to undermine him.
A democratic socialist, the US senator from Vermont galvanised young and liberal voters with his calls to rein in Wall Street and eradicate income inequality. While Sanders has endorsed Clinton, she faces the task of winning over his backers as she battles Trump.
His supporters were already dismayed last week when Clinton passed over liberal favorites like US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to select the more moderate US Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia as her vice presidential running mate.
Trump gloated at the Democrats' opening day disorder.
"Wow, the Republican Convention went so smoothly compared to the Dems total mess," he wrote on Twitter. – Reuters/Daily Nation/Agencies
An excited Trump yesterday tweeted that Mr Malik will vote for him.
"Wow, President Obama's brother Malik just announced that he is voting for me," tweeted the flamboyant billionaire, who will fight it out with Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton for the White House.
Wow, President Obama's brother, Malik, just announced that he is voting for me. Was probably treated badly by president-like everybody else!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 24 July 2016
On Sunday, Malik described Trump as a visionary leader who will help transform the US economy.
"Donald is a down-to-earth kind of person, he also approaches issues directly and does not mince his words and being a candidate of the Republican Party I support his candidature," said Malik in a phone interview with the Nation.
Malik said he supports the Republican Party because it had stopped the deportation of his aunt Zeituni Onyango.
Ms Onyango was the half-sister of Obama's father.
According to Malik, then US President George Bush came up with policies that accommodated Onyango, who was given asylum.
Onyango went to the US in 2000 and sought political asylum in 2002. Her asylum application was rejected in 2004, and she was ordered to leave the US.
She, however, refused to leave and sought American citizenship. However, a court granted her asylum in 2010.
Onyango died in April 2014 and her body was flown to Kisumu for burial.
The relationship between Malik and his famous brother has been frosty. Malik in 2008 opposed then senator Obama's candidature for the US presidency.
Yesterday, Malik accused President Obama of ignoring his Kenyan family and the African continent after he was elected the first black president of the US despite using his Kenyan roots as a strong pillar of his 2008 presidential campaigns.
"President Obama is my brother and I love him, but he is a hypocrite because he has neglected his African heritage and wants nothing to do with it despite campaigning on a platform that he will help transform Africa," said Malik.
He urged Americans to vote for Mr Trump and Republican Party candidates.
Already, President Obama has endorsed Mrs Clinton, saying she is the most qualified to succeed him and protect his legacy.
Meanwhile, chaos broke out ahead of the US Democratic Party convention yesterday as protesters jeered the party chairwoman over leaked emails showing Democratic officials worked to undermine Bernie Sanders in his presidential primary battle with Hillary Clinton.
Hours before the start of the four-day gathering to nominate Clinton for the White House, outgoing Democratic National Committee head Debbie Wasserman Schultz struggled to be heard above boos as she spoke to the Democratic delegation from her home state, Florida.
Protesters held up signs that read "Bernie" and "E-MAILS" and shouted "Shame", as she spoke. Others at the meeting cheered and clapped for Wasserman Schultz, who is stepping down over the email controversy. She promised to work hard for a Clinton victory over Trump in the November 8 election.
"We know that the voices in this room that are standing up and being disruptive, we know that is not the Florida we know. The Florida we know is united," the congresswoman shouted over the noise of the crowd.
It was an embarrassing prelude to the convention in Philadelphia, which Democratic officials had hoped would convey no-drama competence in contrast to the volatile campaign of Trump. The New York businessman was formally nominated for president at a chaotic Republican convention in Cleveland last week.
At least one national opinion poll showed Trump benefiting from a convention "bump" and pulling just ahead of Clinton, having lagged her for months.
The cache of emails leaked on Friday by the WikiLeaks website disclosed that DNC officials explored ways to undercut Sanders' insurgent presidential campaign, including raising questions about whether Sanders, who is Jewish, was an atheist.
Wasserman Schultz resigned on Sunday, effective at the end of the convention, after the leak of more than 19 000 DNC emails put the spotlight back on Sanders' failed bid to win the nomination and in particular on his complaints during the campaign that the party establishment was working to undermine him.
A democratic socialist, the US senator from Vermont galvanised young and liberal voters with his calls to rein in Wall Street and eradicate income inequality. While Sanders has endorsed Clinton, she faces the task of winning over his backers as she battles Trump.
His supporters were already dismayed last week when Clinton passed over liberal favorites like US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to select the more moderate US Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia as her vice presidential running mate.
Trump gloated at the Democrats' opening day disorder.
"Wow, the Republican Convention went so smoothly compared to the Dems total mess," he wrote on Twitter. – Reuters/Daily Nation/Agencies
Source - online
