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Another Obama cousin revealed!

SIMON MAINA/AFP/Getty Images Back in September, Preeti wrote about Nicholas Rajula, the Kenyan politician whose campaign for parliament consisted almost entirely of a claim to be Barack Obama’s cousin. Now, embattled Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga is claiming that he too is related to the Democratic front runner. Odinga—who is currently challenging the electoral victory ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.
597233_odinga_05.jpg
597233_odinga_05.jpg

SIMON MAINA/AFP/Getty Images

SIMON MAINA/AFP/Getty Images

Back in September, Preeti wrote about Nicholas Rajula, the Kenyan politician whose campaign for parliament consisted almost entirely of a claim to be Barack Obama’s cousin. Now, embattled Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga is claiming that he too is related to the Democratic front runner. Odinga—who is currently challenging the electoral victory of President Mwai Kibaki—explained in an interview with the BBC that Obama’s father, also named Barack, was his maternal uncle. Odinga also said that he and the senator have twice discussed Kenya’s political crisis over the phone in recent days.

Of course, it’s not just in Kenya where Obama has cousins in high places. Vice President Dick Cheney is also a distant cousin of Obama, according to his wife Lynne. Isn’t it about time for a family reunion, guys?

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

Tags: Africa, Politics

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