Nyang'oma Kogelo
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Nyang'oma Kogelo, also known as Kogelo, is a village in
Siaya County Siaya County is one of the Counties of Kenya, counties in the former Nyanza Province in the Western part of Kenya. It is bordered by Busia County to the north, Kakamega County and Vihiga County's to the northeast and Kisumu County to the southe ...
,
Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...
. It is located near the equator, 60 kilometres (37 mi) west-northwest of
Kisumu Kisumu ( ) is the third-largest city in Kenya after the capital, Nairobi, and the coastal city of Mombasa (census 2019). It is the third-largest city after Kampala and Mwanza in the Lake Victoria Basin. Apart from being an important polit ...
, the former Nyanza provincial capital. The population of Nyangoma-Kogelo is 3,648.The EastAfrican, 23 January 2009
Strange revearsal in Kogelo
/ref>


Services

Nyang'oma Kogelo is a typical rural Kenyan village with most residents relying on small-scale farming as their main source of income. The village has a commercial centre with various shops and a bar offering shopping and recreation to the populace.Daily Nation, 18 November 2008

/ref> The villagers practice different religions and coexist peacefully. Nevertheless, in 2009, the Nyang'oma Seventh-day Adventist Church was involved in the attempted conversion of
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
's step-grandmother Sarah Obama to
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
. Following counsel from her family, she opted out of the arranged public conversion and
baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
and remained a Muslim. The village has a primary school (Senator Obama Primary School) and a high school (Senator Obama Secondary School). The land for both schools was donated by Barack Obama Sr., a native of the village, and they were renamed in 2006 after his son Barack — then a
United States senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...
.The Standard, 17 July 2006
Villagers' Hopes in Obama's Homecoming
There is also a health centre.BBC News, 5 November 2008
Jubilation at Obama's Kenyan home
/ref> Prior to the 2008 US presidential election, the village had no electricity, but was connected to the national grid immediately following Obama's victory, owing to the consequent rise in interest in the village.Daily Nation, 7 November 2008
Sleepy Kogelo village transformed overnight
/ref> The village also saw its first Kenya Police post set up in the wake of the election outcome.


Transport

The village is along the unpaved C28 road between Ng'iya and NdoriDaily Nation website, 24 January 2009
Kogelo awakes to new dawn
/ref> junctions. Less than 10 kilometres north of Kogelo, Ngiya is located along the
Kisumu Kisumu ( ) is the third-largest city in Kenya after the capital, Nairobi, and the coastal city of Mombasa (census 2019). It is the third-largest city after Kampala and Mwanza in the Lake Victoria Basin. Apart from being an important polit ...
-
Siaya Siaya is a town in Siaya County of Kenya. It is the capital of Siaya County. It is located northwest of Kisumu, the provincial capital. The urban center had a population of 33,153 in 2019. Siaya municipality has five wards: Mjini, Siaya Central, ...
road (C30 road). Few kilometres south of Nyang'oma Kogelo, a bridge built in 1930 crosses the Yala River flowing to Lake Victoria, before the road reaches Ndori along the Kisumu - Bondo road (C27 road). Kogelo is a road distance of 882 kilometres (548 miles) west of Mombasa.


Administration

Nyang'oma Kogelo is part of South East Alego electoral ward of Siaya County Council and Alego Constituency.Electoral Commission of Kenya
Polling Centres in Kenya
Following the 2007 civic elections, the local councillor is Julius Okeyo Omedo of
Orange Democratic Movement The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is a centre-left political party in Kenya. It is the successor of a grassroots people's movement which was formed during the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum campaign. This movement separated in Augu ...
. South East Alego is also an administrative location in the Karemo
division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
of Siaya district. The location has a population of 17,294. As of 2008, the chief of the location is James Ojwang' Obalo, whose office is located next to the Nyang'oma Kogelo shopping centre.


History

Nyang'oma Kogelo is the home of the immigrant ancestors of the
family of Barack Obama The family of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, is a prominent American family active in law, education, activism and politics. Obama's immediate family circle was the First Family of the United States, first family of the ...
, the 44th
president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
. They have resided in the village since colonial times.


Obama fame

Since 2006, the village has received international attention because it is the hometown of Barack Obama Sr. (d. 1982), the father of former
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
. Barack Obama Sr. is buried in the village. Some of their family members still live in the village. His paternal step-grandmother Sarah Onyango Obama lived there until her death in March 2021. Because of its connection with the former American president, the village is expected to be visited by many tourists from the US and other countries. The Kenyan government is promoting it as a tourist attraction of western Kenya. An Obama-themed museum was to be built by the Kenyan government and opened in the village in 2009. A Nairobi-based cultural organisation will build the Dero Kogelo Library and Cultural Centre in the village. Obama visited the village in July 2018. https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Obama-leaves-Nairobi-for-Kogelo/1056-4665098-lpvplo/index.html , Barack Obama opens youth centre in Kogelo


References


External links


www.kogelo.co.ke
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nyang'oma Kogelo Siaya County Populated places in Nyanza Province