Patrick Praises Africans, asks for their votes

Members of the Governor's African Council discuss with Gov. Deval Patrick on problems faced by African immigrants in Massachusetts during a rally in Worcester recently. H.Maina/Ajabu Images

By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, posted October 3, 2010

WORCESTER, Mass., Thrilled members of the African community in Worcester last week hosted Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick during a public rally with the hard to reach immigrant community living in the area.

Many of the members present were anxious to meet the leader of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, some for the very first time. Gov. Patrick is up for re-election in the coming mid term elections slated for this November.

During the event that saw many African turn out in their tradition attire, a committee of trusted men and women referred to as the Governor’s council privately met with the Governor and asked him several questions relating to the African immigrant community in Massachusetts.

The committee included six Kenyans who took the opportunity to ask various questions.

The governor thanked Africans who have decided to make Massachusetts their home, and asked them to be patient as the hard economic times grind out.
  
However, during the main event, it was clear that the Ghanaian community was the one who had turned out in large numbers, followed by Nigerians. There were a few dozed Kenyans Cameroonians and other members of other African countries.

Addressing the Africans, Gov. Patrick assured them that the state of Massachusetts was making strides to come out of the economic recession and had indeed invested at lot leading to innovation and improvements in the fields of education, health, and infrastructure.

As a result, the governor said, Massachusetts had created 65,000 new jobs in the last 7 months, and registering a growth rate twice as fast as the national growth rate.

“Our children took the number one slot in the recent National competition for achievement in math and sciences,” said the governor.

He repeated his call for generational responsibility where each citizen is required to do the best they can right now for the benefit of future generations.

He assured the Africans that Massachusetts will not end up being like Arizona when it comes to the immigration issues.
 
He appealed to them to vote for him and his running mate, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray so that they could finish what they started four years ago.

Gov. Deval Patrick , sits next to a Ghanian King, Harry Danso, second right, as he addresed the Governor's African Council in Worcester shortly at a raly orgabized by members of the African community in Massachusetts

During a brief speech before the governor spoke, Lt. Governor, Tim Murray praised the progress that he and Gov. Patrick had achieved during their tenure in office. “I am very proud to work with a man like Gov. Patrick,” said Lt. Murray.

He welcomed the African community to take a more active role in the democratic process of the country. The Lt. Governor welcomed Africans to sit at the table of decision making saying that, “every community is going to have a seat at the table if they want to, so as to be active participants in the democratic process of the country.

He added that during his long career as a lawyer, his most memorable and satisfying case to take was when he represented a Senegalese immigrant in the US, who was seeking asylum.

He said that immigrants are a very important component of the commonwealth of Massachusetts and therefore if they re- elect him together with Gov. Patrick, they will be supporting the African immigrant community to continue taking part in the development of the economy and diversity of the cultures in Massachusetts.

Murray then led Africans present in making phone calls to their friends who could vote and convinced them to come out in large numbers during election time.

A Kenyan man hands over his cell phone to Lt. Gov. Tim Murray to talk to a friend urging him to come out and vote

Lt. Gov. Tim Murray on the phone with an African in Masachusetts urging him to come out and vote in November

Many African present praised the efforts by Governor Patrick to engage the African community in the democratic process of the commonwealth.

“To see the governor agree to come and sit with us, and answer our questions face to face was really encouraging,” said Allan Waigera, a Kenyan from Worcester.

I was very happy that he committed to finding solutions to the unfair competition and treatment that we as African entrepreneurs in Massachusetts are facing”, said Chizoma Nosike, a Nigerian businesswoman from Worcester who runs a healthcare staffing agency.

“It was an excellent participation. The crowd was very nice and our voice was heard,” said Harry Danso, a Ghanaian resident of Worcester, who was draped in a traditional Ghanaian King’s regalia, during a post event interview with AjabuAfrica.com. “Now there now there is a new beginning for us Africans in Massachusetts,” he added amid cheering by several Ghanaians in the background.

Many Africans present promised to get their friends to get out and vote for Governor Patrick’s victory. I know you go to church, so don’t forget praying for me Prayers is also an important part of it, said Governor Patrick as the meeting came to an end.

On the 24th of this month, Governor Patrick will be back with the African community in Worcester when he attands a book signing event for pastor Ben Njuru, a Kenyan pastor who has authiored a new bible based book.

Serious business: Africans in Worcester get on their phones to urge their friends who are qualified to vote to come out and vote for Gov. Deval Patrick and Lt. Gov. Tim Murray in the upcoming elections next month

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