The British based step mother of Barack Obama is so confident that the Democratic candidate will emerge victorious in November’s election that she’s placed a £50 bet on it happening.

Bracknell based Kezia Obama is a keen bingo player but on this occasion has opted for a straight win or bust bet.

The 67 year old now lives in a modest semi-detached home in a cul-de-sac on a housing estate in the Berkshire town and is the mother of four of the Democratic presidential nominee's half-siblings – Abongo, now 50, Auma, 48, Bernard, 40, and Abo, 37.

A child bride, she met her husband Barack Obama Snr when she was at school in Kenya and is unsure whether she was 15 or 16 when they married a year later in a village ceremony that included a dowry of 14 cows.

"This is young Barack's moment," she said. "His time has come now. I feel it in my bones and I pray to the Lord that he will beat John McCain just as he beat Hillary Clinton. Hillary was a tough lady but I always knew it was his destiny to win."

Mrs. Obama, who flew to the United States for her stepson's wedding in 1992 and for his inauguration as a Senator just under four years ago, said she expects to be on the steps of the Capitol in Washington watching him be sworn in as President.

She said she hoped that her stepson's election to the White House would help to end racism. "He is black and white and he does not judge people by their colour. That is the way his future should be. His father would have been very proud of him."

Mrs. Obama said that her stepson would "unite the world" and be a president for more than just Americans. "We Obamas are a big family. There are all shades and I don't even think of black or white. Young Barack understands that the world is like this.”

Print version