Ilhan Omar, a Former Refugee at Daadab Camp in Kenya, Elected to US Congress
Ilhan Omar, a former refugee at Daadab camp in Kenya has become the first woman of Somali descent and second Muslim to be elected to the United States Congress to represent Minnesota's 5th congressional district.
Ms Omar was brought up at the Kenyan refugee camp until the age of 12 when she moved to the US. Omar, a Democrat, could not speak English and only learnt the language by watching television.
She says that President Donald Trump’s “politics of fear” pushed her to contest for the seat in the US mid-term elections.
“I stand here before you tonight as your congresswoman-elect with many firsts behind my name,” she said on Tuesday.
“The first woman of color to represent our state in Congress, the first woman to wear a hijab, the first refugee ever elected to Congress and one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress.”
The 36-year-old succeeds US Congressman Keith Ellison, who was in 2006 elected as the first Muslim to Congress. He is stepping down to run for state attorney general.
“I did not expect to come to the United States and go to school with kids who were worried about food as much as I was worried about it in a refugee camp,” Ms Omar said in an interview last month.
Another Muslim woman, Rashida Tlaib who originates from Palestine has also been elected to the US Congress to represent Michigan. She is also a Democrat.
Comments (17)
congrats ayee
Watch Jaluos come on here to attribute the Walia's success on themselves
It's Somali UNITY and Support in DIASPORA.
Your petty tribal prejudices speak for themselves. America the land of opportunity, hard work pays. Meza wembe. ✌🏾
She spoke brilliantly and eloquently while being interviewed by The View ladies. Good job and congrats.
Mahatsanit - Asante sana kwa Kisomali. Hongera sana.
10X you are a mutha F TRIBALIST. So wajaluo wanaingilia wapi hapa? Nkt. Hii ndio ujinga inafanya mna stall kimaisha!!!
Hongera dada
wait you hear jaruos start screaming ati even them they have lupita nyongo ... and raira will claim ati the cute girl is a cousin on his mothers side ... mayangai mera no mera
I have listened to this lady and she is brilliant and a force to reckon with.
nonsense .. come i write for you a speech and you also become a force to reckon with ... just ensure you have good looks like the cute girl ... sio sura kama ngunia ya makaa ... brarry foo
@hypocrite aka x10 aka keyboard worrior, you will agree with me that circumsion in the gikuyu tribe should come with "how to become a gentleman 101 class" and that is what you lack thus becoming a "githayo kia ruruka". Try watching Inooro TV, a kipindi called KIMURI and listen to other gentlemen. You may very well learn something.
@hypocrite:
Nakuomba tafadhali umtambue na kumheshimu "MWUMBAJI" ambaye alitoa sura kwa watu na viumbe vyote ulimwenguni.
Kila mtu ana sura nzuri. Sura mbaya inatokana na vitendo visivyofaa ambavyo binadamu hufanyiana na pia kuvifanyia viumbe vingine.
sasa wewe unanisomea kama nani .... uthathomera witau maithori maya
Dont expose your ignorance so vividly, as a kikuyu am ashamed that you can say this sort of stuff to your fellow countrymen or any human... respect is free and let us try to make this earth a better place. May God help you to be a better person
Which god ???
Dada Ihlan Omar: Asante sana kwa kutuonyosha mfano mzuri wa kusimama kidete bila kuona haya unapojiita "Msomali - Mmarekani,"
Yafaa Wafrika wengine waanze kujivunia asili yao bila kuona aibu kutumia taifa lao dogo la asili. Hakuna makosa kusema, mimi ni:
1. Mpokomo/Mkenya - Mmarekani
2. Mmasai/Mkenya au Mmasai/Mtanzania - Mmarekani
3. Mtugen - Mmarekani
4. Mteita - Mmarekani
5. Mmeru/Mkenya - Mmarekani
6. Mturkana/Mkenya - Mmarekani.
Yafaa tubuni neno jipya la kuita bara la Afrika kwa sababu neno Afrika lilibuniwa na Ndugu zetu wa kutoka Yuropa/Ulaya.