VOA标准英语2009年-Kenyan Ex-Leader Says Don't Look to Obama

Former Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi cautions Kenyans from putting excessive hope in U.S. President Barack Obama and says Kenyans should be focusing on finding local solutions to their problems.
　
Former President of Kenya Daniel arap Moi in this October 2002 file photo

Mr. Moi's remarks come on the heels of President Obama's visit to the West African country of Ghana where he called on African leaders to confront the continent's struggles with poverty and poor governance.

Kenya was the homeland of President Obama's father. Some saw Mr. Obama's decision to visit Ghana as a snub to Kenya for its recent instability and democratic difficulties.

Mr. Moi reportedly told a group of churchgoers on Sunday that Kenyans were foolish to look to Mr. Obama to save the country from its problems, saying that Kenyans should not be looking to outsiders for issues that they need to solve themselves.

He also criticized Kenyans' fixation on Mr. Obama's visit to Africa, accusing many Kenyans of acting¹ as if the U.S. president's words would immediately impact their lives.

Kenyan political analyst² Barrack Muluka says that although Mr. Moi's remarks may appear to be directed against Mr. Obama, the former Kenyan leader's statement in fact closely mirrors the core message Obama offered to the troubled continent.

"I think [Moi] is giving very practical counsel to the people of Africa. And I think his message is basically in tandem³ with that of Obama - Africa should look up to itself," Muluka said.

In his speech, Mr. Obama called on African leaders to buck⁴ the continent's long track record of poor governance and human rights abuses. The speech suggested that African leaders must cease blaming outsiders for the region's political instabilities and lagging economic development.

Mr. Moi led Kenya for 24 years as its president. His rule resembled that of other African "strongmen" of the time and is criticized for its dictatorial⁵ tendencies and widespread corruption⁶.

Muluka says that Mr. Moi's remarks - despite containing the positive message that Kenyans should look inward for the country's answers - come across as hypocritical considering the poor state in which he left the country at the end of his rule.

"When Obama speaks about the betrayed hopes and dreams, it's obviously people like Moi he has in mind who have contributed to getting us where we are," Muluka said.

After Mr. Obama won the U.S. presidential election, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki announced the following day as a national holiday.

1 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

2 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

3 tandem   

n.同时发生；配合；adv.一个跟着一个地；纵排地；adj.（两匹马）前后纵列的

参考例句：

• Malcolm's contract will run in tandem with his existing one.马尔科姆的合同将与他手头的合同同时生效。
• He is working in tandem with officials of the Serious Fraud Office.他正配合欺诈重案办公室的官员工作。

4 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

5 dictatorial   

adj. 独裁的，专断的

参考例句：

• Her father is very dictatorial.她父亲很专横。
• For years the nation had been under the heel of a dictatorial regime.多年来这个国家一直在独裁政权的铁蹄下。

6 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。