Obama's thrilled family in Kenya

The Evening Standard have reported that Obama's family in Kenya have said that his historic electoral victory is a "victory for the world".

Obama's relatives partied through the night. Kiran Randhawa from The Evening Standard has reported that Obama's half-brother Abongo, 51, "wept tears of joy and relief as the win was was annonunced and heard Barack thank his family for their help."

Abongo viewed the live election coverage on a portable television with his relatives in their native village.

The Evening Standard reports Abongo's brotherly pride: "I never had any doubt my brother would do this. This is a historic moment...for the entire world."

Please see the video below for coverage of Obama's family celebrating in Africa:



Sarah Obama is thrilled for her grandson

Barack Obama's grandmother, Sarah Obama, is a woman of simple means, and has always maintained that the fame and glory of her grandson would not affect her lifestyle.

The Guardian report on her uncomplicated way of living. Sarah wakes at dawn, tends her vegetables, goes to the market and then to bed.

Even on Wednesday night - election night - Sarah continued as normal with her daily routine, turning in for bed early. Other members of the family camped at her house but could not sleep for excitement.

CNN announced Obama's victory over John McCain at 7am the following morning. This time, Sarah Obama joined in all the commotion and allowed herself to be caught in the emotion of her surrounding family.

A few hours later, she expressed her emotional sentiments to The Guardian, "I don't know if I will die of happiness."

When asked if she had any advice for the new president, she said: "He should work very well globally, especially for world peace."

Joy in Kenya

Elsewhere in Kenya where people think of Obama as one of their own, The Guardian report the euphoria to have spread.

Spontaneous parties were thrown in the eastern port city of Mombasa. In Nairobi young men were marching through a slum singing: "Obama don't sleep. The struggle is still on."

President Mwai Kibaki declared today as a bank holiday in celebration of Obama's victory much to the delight of the people of Kenya.

In the village near Sarah Obama's house in Kogelo, hundreds of locals had stayed up throug the night and were danicing whilst watching the election procedures on screen. Barak Obama's father had been raised in this village.

Kenya is not expecting to receive help from Obama. The Guardian reported Auma Obama, the half-sister who Obama thanked in his speech, as saying: "As a family we support Barack, but have not got expectations [of him helping us in Africa]."

"He is an American ... if there any changes to they will be in America and the world."