African leaders hail Obama's victory

In a statement released on Wednesday, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma hailed Obama's re-election as the next US president.

"We value our relations with the United States and look forward to strengthening bilateral co-operation in the years to come. South Africa is confident that the United States will continue to play a positive role in this regard," President Zuma said in a statement.

On his part Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said the victory was “a well deserved victory” adding that people in his ancestral homeland were celebrating his re-election.

"I commend the American people for showing their confidence in your leadership. Kenya, as always is proud of our association with you," President Kibaki said and expressed the country's will of deepening its relations with the US during Obama's second term in office.

Obama and Africa

Obama's unwillingness to visit African countries during his first term in office, has raised many questions on whether the African continent is among his priorities.

During his first term in office President Barack Obama made only one, hasty trip to sub-Saharan Africa, as president.

In 2009 while on a visit to Ghana, Obama stressed the importance of Africa to the US and the entire world particularly in spearheading trade relations.

Early this year,Barack Obama released a new Africa strategy declaring a continent torn by poverty, corruption and discord could be the world's next big economic success story.

The new US blueprint seeks to boost trade, strengthen peace, security and good governance and bolster democratic institutions and is designed to help Africa's increasingly youthful population lead its development.

However with China's unquenchable thirst for resources in Africa, analysts believe US trade policy has to be revamped if it is to counter China's aggressive ventures on the African continent.

His victory rocks Kenya

Meanwhile in the ancestral village of Barack Obama, Kogelo, people came out in numbers to celebrate the re-election of the son of their soil, revealing the secret of Obama's victory.

"He won because he knows how to love all people", his grandmother Sarah Obama, expressed to reporters and a crowd of people which stayed up throughout the night in Kogelo waiting for the election results.

"The reason why he has won is because God has given it to him. Secondly he has got the knowledge to love all people, he doesn't have the knowledge of division, that is why he has won," the 90 year old and the third wife of the paternal grandfather of the president said.

Weary from an all-night vigil but happy at the win, people cheered to welcome her, popularly known as "Mama Sarah."

Kogelo is a small village in western Kenya nestled in the hills about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the blue waters of Lake Victoria.