Zeituni Onyango
Times Online reported that Barack Obama's aunt Zeituni Onyango is living in a disabled-access flat in Boston. She was portrayed as a "fiesty woman" in Obama's memoir Dreams from My Father and was a computer programmer when she lived in Nairobi.1 The Associated Press reports that Onyango may be living in the United States illegally, after a judge denied her request for asylum in 2004.2
Fast Facts
- Born: May 29, 19521
- Age: 56 in 20081
- Lives in public housing on Flaherty Way, South Boston3
- Also known as "Auntie Zeituni"1
- Began coming to American in 1975, says she "comes and goes"1
- Volunteers as a mentor
- Is not registered to vote1
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating leak to press3
Relationship
She is the child of Obama's grandfather Hussein Onyango Obama and told reporters that she does not want to talk about her relationship with Obama until after the election.1 A campaign spokesman for Obama's campaign has not yet confirmed the relation.4
Quotes
"I felt that I should help the children in my community. I love people and enjoy interacting with them . . . Also, I was idle, and this was a chance to get involved." — Onyango on volunteering as a mentor1
"We went to drop Zeituni off at Kenya Breweries, a large, drab complex where she worked as a computer programmer. Stepping out of the car, she leaned over again to kiss me on the cheek, then wagged her finger at Auma. 'You take good care of Barry now,' she said. 'Make sure he doesn’t get lost again.'" — Excerpt from Dreams from My Father
"If she is violating laws those laws have to be obeyed. We're a nation of laws. Obviously that doesn't lessen my concern for her, I haven't been able to be in touch with her. But I'm a strong believer you have to obey the law." — Barack Obama on the news of his aunt's illegal status3
Related Pages on Mahalo
Barack Obama | Dreams from My Father | Barack Obama Biography | Boston | Kenya | George Hussein Onyango Obama | George Obama Hut | Barack Hussein Obama Senior | Sarah Onyango Obama | Auma Obama | Omar Onyango Obama
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