Kenyan souvenir sellers cash in on Obama's visit

NAIROBI, Kenya — Dorothy Achieng wished President Obama would have extended his stay in Kenya, not because of the U.S. president's roots here but because he's been a boon to her souvenir business.

“I have made so much money,” said Achieng, 48, who hawked portraits of Obama to hang in their homes, businesses or cars. “I’m disappointed because he is leaving (Sunday).”

Obama T-shirts, flags and other souvenirs brought in big profits to vendors like Achieng during the president's three-day visit.

Artist Dayan Masinde said he prepared for the trip two months ago by designing Obama’s portrait. “My artwork ... went viral, and I was approached by government and private companies to make more portraits,” he said.

Bar and restaurant owners did a brisk business. In this capital city, they served business leaders, celebrities and foreign government officials attending the Global Entrepreneurship Summit that ended Sunday. And across the country, Kenyans packed restaurants and bars since Friday to celebrate Obama’s arrival in Kenya, where his father was born.

“I wish Obama could have stayed here for some extra days to boost our economy,” said Willys Omondi, who owns Trailer-in Bar and Restaurant in Nairobi.

Newspapers have sold out copies to readers who want to remember the visit. “I have come here very early in the morning to grab a copy of newspaper before people can buy them all,” said Simon Nzioka at the offices of Daily Nation newspaper.

There also has been a big demand for digital set-top boxes, said salesman Kevin Kiare. “Residents have been grappling for these set-top boxes to follow Obama news," he said.

Other Kenyans were inspired by Obama's call at Sunday's business summit for young entrepreneurs to follow their dreams. Judith Owigar, founder of AkiraChix, a non-profit organization that aims to inspire women to launch tech start-ups, said she hopes the summit  helps spark improvements in Kenya's still largely impoverished economy.

Nearly half of Kenyans live in poverty, according to the World Bank, and the United Nations estimates that Kenya’s unemployment rate is around 40%.

The country’s economy has grown by more than 5% annually in recent years as a result of foreign investment and government efforts to boost domestic demand, said Adjoa Anyimadu, a researcher at the Africa Program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank.

"The economic prospects for Kenya look very good,” said Anyimadu. “International companies are still very interested in the country. There are a lot of infrastructure developments, including integration of neighboring countries that will increase the East African market, making it more attractive to international business. Kenya has great potential."

One of the greatest threats to the economy is terrorism, added Anyimadu, a concern Obama also emphasized. Those incidents deter international visitors, he said.

During his visit, Obama said another impediment to growth is government corruption. "If you have got some small businessperson trying to open up a store, and they have to pay bribes here, there and everywhere, that’s inhibiting the kind of entrepreneurship that we talked about" at Saturday's summit, he said at a news conference. “It’s going to require the support of the Kenyan people, and it’s going to require some visible prosecutions. It's also going to require Kenyans just breaking these habits and saying ‘no.’"