Interesting.

Clinton faces Kenya cattle fine over Obama photo
By  Daniel Wallis, Reuters

NAIROBI — Kenyan elders may impose a fine on U.S. presidential hopeful  
Hillary Clinton, payable in livestock, after a photo of her rival Barack Obama  in 
robes dragged their people into the race for the White House.
The picture,  which appeared on a U.S. Web site, showed the Illinois senator 
in a white  headdress and traditional Somali attire during a 2006 visit to 
Wajir in Kenya's  remote northeast.
Obama has battled a whispering campaign by fringe elements  who wrongly say 
he is Muslim and his aides accused Clinton's campaign of "the  most shameful, 
offensive fear-mongering" after the photograph was  published.
Wajir elders resolved to file an official complaint with the U.S.  Embassy in 
Nairobi, dropping earlier plans to hold a protest after Friday  prayers.
They said they would also convene a traditional Somali court to  investigate 
the matter. It can impose fines that are payable in cattle, goats or  camels.
"We will go ahead with this case whether Senator Clinton or  Democratic party 
leaders turn up or not," said Mohamed Ibrahim, a member of the  clan that 
hosted Obama during his trip. "But this whole thing can be avoided if  only an 
apology is made."
The late father of the Democratic frontrunner was  from western Kenya.
Many in the east African country support Obama the way  the Irish idolized 
President John F. Kennedy in the 1960s -- as one of their own  who succeeded 
beyond their wildest dreams.
"The clan he was with have every  right to be offended," said Hussein Ali, a 
32-year-old unemployed man outside  the main Jamia Mosque in the capital 
Nairobi.
"Obama's enemies are trying to  portray him as a terrorist, saying all 
Muslims, and especially Somalis, are  dangerous men." 

MOLLIFIED LOCALS

Clinton's campaign denies authorizing the release of the controversial  photo 
but says that, with 700 staffers, it could not be certain someone had not  
sent it out unofficially.
That has not mollified locals in Wajir, a small  desert town near the Somali 
border, who demanded Clinton "clear her  name."
Other Kenyans questioned the timing of the picture's publication, days  
before make-or-break votes in Ohio and Texas next week.
For many Americans,  Somalia conjures up disturbing images of dead U.S. 
troops being dragged through  Mogadishu's dusty streets during the "Black Hawk 
Down" battle of 1993.
The  U.S. military launched air strikes on the Horn of Africa country last 
year in  its hunt for al Qaeda, including suspects wanted over the bombing of 
the U.S.  Embassy in Nairobi in 1988.
"We suspect the intent behind releasing this  picture now, just before 
Tuesday's very critical vote," said Omar Jamal, head of  the St Paul, 
Minnesota-based Somali Justice Advocacy Centre.
His lobby group,  which works with Somali immigrants in the United States, 
has also demanded an  apology from Clinton's camp.
"They are trying to make a link between a man  who could be the next U.S. 
president and a country with al Qaeda terrorist  activities. They're trying to 
tell citizens, look who you might be voting for,"  he told Reuters by telephone.
"Everyone is very upset. It's outrageous and  undermining."

(Additional reporting by Noor Ali in Isiolo; Editing by Robert  Woodward)





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