Who Is Sarah Obama? Obama Grandmother To Continue To Receive State Protection Post-Presidency

Although President Donald Trump assumed his role as commander-in-chief Friday, former president Barack Obama’s grandmother, who lives in Kenya, will continue to receive state protection.

Sarah Obama lives in Kogelo in Siaya County will receive 24-hour security and police protection, Kenya’s Standard newspaper reported Monday. Local government officials were quoted, stating that, Sarah Obama’s “home in Kogelo, Siaya County, will remain a protected area and those seeking to visit will continue to be vetted by police stationed outside her compound.”

Sarah Obama received police protection in her village since her grandson became the 44th president. She became the center of media attention in the country, which prompted around-the-clock security services, the Kenyan news outlet reported. Prior to Obama stepping into his position as POTUS, Sarah Obama was described as a “humble woman” and she sold vegetables in her local market in Kogelo. Authorities were expected to visit Sarah, who otherwise goes by the moniker Mama Sarah, to see how she was faring after her grandson left office Friday.

“We are going to visit Mama Sarah next week to find out how she is coping with news of her grandson’s exit from the White House,” Alego Usonga Deputy County Commissioner Joseph Sawe told the news outlet.

Sarah Obama is not biologically related to the former president; she is the third wife of his paternal grandfather. Still, she has been protected. For example, security and local officials have kept close watch over Mama Sarah when she was reportedly threatened by Somali Islamists linked to al-Qaeda in 2011, ABC News reported. The threats followed the assassination of Osama Bin Laden in May of 2011.

Despite the lifestyle change, Mama Sarah maintained that she continued to live her life. “My life has not been affected in any way,” she told ABC News of the threats in 2011. “It has not restricted my movement.”