Is the hype on US elections really necessary?

It’s completely uncalled forSo Barrack Obama has been the trending topic on all social media this week; so all lips in the world have mentioned the term “US elections” at least once this week; so what is the big idea? What next?

Thursday, November 08, 2012
Ivan R.u00a0 Mugisha

It’s completely uncalled forSo Barrack Obama has been the trending topic on all social media this week; so all lips in the world have mentioned the term "US elections” at least once this week; so what is the big idea? What next?There is nothing wrong with stating support for anyone but my issue is that when it comes to the US elections, it goes overboard, especially this time round, it has become almost maniacal. You may actually be forced to think that some people are naturally American yet in reality, are simply Rwandan or African.Probably they’re proud that Obama is the only black person to ever be in the white house, but still I don’t get it. Isn’t this the same kind of attitude we despise- identifying people by their color?If you want to know where my fuss is coming from, find a bunch of people chanting Obama and ask them what they like about him. One out of ten will tell you something worthy, while the other nine will go for the color card.There’s more to Obama than just skin colour; there’s intellect, mentality, influence and power. People, especially Africans should freeze archaic bandwagon support and start questioning how he uses his power to influence America’s policies towards Africa.Following the US elections hasn’t just started with Barrack Obama; it started way back before the introduction of social media, even before the pre-genocide period. Unlike what it is now, people who followed it were keener on the American president’s perception of Africa, not just his dialect or color.Now looking at all the mass of Africans who chanted Obama’s victory, I am only left with pity because their "love” isn’t really being reciprocated by the African-American president. Sub- Saharan Africa wasn’t even a subject matter during the presidential debates, instead as usual, the oil rich Middle East was.Probably what says it better is the fact that it is in Obama’s reign that China overtook the United States as Africa’s largest trading partner.In his first term in office Obama visited only two African countries; Egypt and Ghana- not even did he go to his native home Kenya. His predecessor George Walker Bush on the other hand visited Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, Uganda and Nigeria only in his first term.Bush capped it all with another round of visits to Africa in his second term, even stopping by Rwanda.Pan-Africans should also be worried because Obama is adamantly pro homosexuality, a way of life that almost the whole continent has decided to reject. To me, the US elections are just overrated; Obama is simply an American president and don’t be deceived, he isn’t even nearly as close to being the best president the US has ever had.