Malik Obama
Barack Obama's half-brother
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Abon'go Malik "Roy" Obama (born March 17, 1958) is a Kenyan-American businessman and former political candidate known for being the paternal half-brother of former President of the United States, Barack Obama, and the eldest son of economist Barack Obama Sr.
March 17, 1958
- Kenya
- United States[1]
Malik Obama | |
|---|---|
Malik Obama in April 2021 | |
| Born | Abon'go Malik Obama March 17, 1958 |
| Other name | Roy |
| Citizenship |
|
| Education | University of Nairobi |
| Occupations | Businessperson, former political candidate |
| Known for | Former President Barack Obama's half-brother |
Political party | Republican (since 2016) |
| Father | Barack Obama Sr. |
| Relatives |
|
| Family | Obama family |
Biography
Abon'go Malik "Roy" Obama was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya.[2][3] His parents are economist Barack Obama Sr. and his first wife, Kezia Obama (née Nyandega).[4] Obama earned a degree in accounting from the University of Nairobi.[5] He met his younger half-brother, Barack Obama, for the first time in 1985,[2] when Barack flew from Chicago to Washington, D.C., to visit Malik.[6] According to him, the two each served as best man at the other's wedding.[2] Barack brought his wife, Michelle Obama, to Kenya three years later, seeing Malik again while meeting many other relatives for the first time.[7] Malik Obama is Muslim.[8][9]
Malik Obama lives in the Obamas' ancestral home, Nyang'oma Kogelo, a village of several hundred people, preferring its slow pace to that of the city.[2] Until 2004, he ran a small electronics shop a half-hour's drive away in another town.[2] Since 2008, Obama has run the Barack H. Obama Foundation, founded in memory of his father, Barack Obama Sr.[10][11]
Obama is a dual citizen of both Kenya and the United States.[12] He is a frequent visitor to the United States,[7] and works as a consultant in Washington, D.C., for several months each year.[2] He was registered to vote in Maryland as of 2016.[3]
Political candidacy and advocacy
During his half brother's 2008 presidential campaign, Malik Obama was a spokesman for the extended Obama family in Kenya. He dealt with safety and privacy concerns arising from the increased attention from the press.[13] In early 2013, Obama ran for governor of the Kenyan county of Siaya.[14] His campaign slogan was "Obama here, Obama there" in reference to his half-brother who was serving his second term as the President of the United States. Obama garnered 2,814 of the 281,663 (1.0%) votes cast.[15]
Prior to the 2016 United States presidential election, Obama stated that he supported Donald Trump, the candidate for the Republican Party.[16] He attended the third presidential debate as one of Trump's guests.[17] On June 12, 2020, Malik Obama reportedly endorsed Donald Trump’s re-election[18] and later in the week posted a false birth certificate of Barack Obama. The certificate alleges that Barack was born in the Republic of Kenya in 1961, despite the Republic of Kenya not being founded until 1964.[19][20] The faux Kenyan certificate also contained a seal which read South Australia.[21][22] Since then, he has consistently taken to news sites to express critical opinions about his half-brother, alleging that he made a pact with the Devil.[23]
