In June this year, The New York Post carried a front page story about a man with a last name similar to America’s first African American president-Barack Obama. One would be forgiven to make a hasty conclusion that Malik Obama, Barack’s half-brother, would follow in the footsteps of his sibling who is arguably the most powerful man in the world, in endorsing Hillary Clinton for presidency.
But Malik claims he no longer subscribes to the Democratic Party and is now a staunch Republican. He has endorsed Donald Trump for presidency, the Republican candidate who is also well known for his role in the birther movement that tried to delegitimize the younger Obama’s presidency by claiming he was born in Kenya
What could be the reason behind Malik Obama switching allegiance to the party of Lincoln?
According to the Post, Malik is “deeply disappointment with his brother Barack’s administration. He says he was annoyed that Clinton and Obama killed Libyan president Muammar Gadaffi whom he called one of his best friends. Malik Obama dedicated his 2012 biography of his late father to Gadaffi and others who were “making this world a better place.” That list did not include his half-brother who is a Nobel-Peace laureate.
Whereas Malik Obama was born and raised in Kenya, he is eligible to vote in the election. As a dual citizen, public record show he is registered to vote in Maryland where he used to live and work as an accountant
Malik Obama was the best man at the president’s wedding. In 2013, he launched a bid to run for the Siaya Gubernatorial seat. He failed terribly and there are reports he was not amused by his brother’s lack of support. One would assume, at least in Malik’s imagination, that Obama putting out a word to the electorate to vote for Malik would have sealed the deal.
Malik, who is three years older than Barack last saw his sibling in August 2015 at the White in what he describes as a “usual, hands-off kind of thing, very businesslike, very formal,”
During the final debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Malik Obama will be part of the audience as a Trump guest. It seems the GOP candidate will stop at nothing to checkmate Baraka Obama at every level. How Malik will influence anything in America is anyone’s guess
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