Election Day

We decided at 6:30 in the morning to brave the monsoon and head to the embassy to watch the election results. It had been pouring buckets most of the night and the streets were flooded. We made the call and Obedi showed up 20 minutes later. The five of us piled into his taxi and headed for the embassy. A boat might have been more effective because of all of the roads and intersections that were flooded.

Once we arrived at the embassy, we were escorted into the main lobby of the building where the election party was in full swing. By the time we made it there CNN & MSNBC had called the race. “President-Elect Barack Obama” was scrolling across the bottom of the screen. We waited to hear both of the speeches. I was impressed by both and shed a few tears during both. I was secretly hoping that John McCain would win so I would probably be the only one cheering in the middle of the embassy party.

Making a point to be there for the election results was one of those life moments. If I hadn’t gone, I probably would have regretted it for a long time. It’s a story that is now mine. When I get asked in 20 years “where were you when you got the news of Barack Obama?” I can respond, “At the US embassy in Tanzania.” It’s a little more fun that “watching CNN at home.”

American politics leading up to the election was often a conversation topic with Tanzanians. The obvious candidate favorite was Obama. There were shirts declaring “Tanzanians for Obama,” kangas with his face on them, and plenty of newspaper space devoted to his campaign. Once people found out that I was American, they wanted to talk politics. Tanzanians are impressed that a black man could become President. “America must truly be a place where anything is possible” is something I’ve heard more than once.

Tanzanians are also interested in America because historically America has been interested in Tanzania. The US through USAID, mainly, sends millions of dollars to the country for relief and education programs. The Peace Corps sends volunteers to teach in the schools and work in the hospitals. There are also numerous mission organizations working in Tanzania in religion as well as healthcare and education. There is a definite connection of personnel and finances between the US and Tanzania. It makes sense that Tanzanians are interested in what happens with our government. The government is the one that approves the foreign aid budget and programs that fund so much of the work here directly via USAID and the Peace Corps, and indirectly via the World Food Programme and other UN affiliates.

There has been a bit of worry from some Tanzanians I’ve talked with. They are concerned that because of his Kenyan roots, he will cut funding to Tanzania and send the money to Kenya. Who knows at this point but they still like him.