"When people speak of Obama, we don't say he's Luo Obama," said Ogega, 27, referring to Obama's Kenyan ethnic group. "We say he's Kenyan. We hope he will help us see each other as Kenyans instead of certain tribes."
A group of young women studying for an exam in diplomacy echoed that idea.
"We hope he'll be able to straighten out some politicians of this country -- give them a straight deal on issues like graft," said Judith Ngandoki, 27, who is studying for a master's degree in international relations.
Not far away, Kadiro Ganemo, an Ethiopian immigrant, suggested that such hope stretches beyond Kenya.
"He's not just for Kenya -- he's for the whole world," said Ganemo, 28, who is not a student but joined the celebration because he didn't want to watch alone at home.
He confessed that he had not believed Obama could be elected, given the racism that exists in the United States. When the results came in, he said, he cried, as he expected he would again later Tuesday. "Maybe Africans can unite like people in the U.S.," he said.
Yes, please. This is what it looks like to lead the world.
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