Barack Obama's step-grandmother, who defended him when critics claimed he was not born in the US, has died aged 99.
The former US President posted a picture of himself sitting next to his gran, Sarah Obama, in a heartbreaking tweet announcing her death.
Sarah Obama, known as 'Mama Sarah', defended her grandson when he was accused of being a Muslim and born in Kenya during the 2008 presidential race.
Obama today tweeted: "My family and I are mourning the loss of our beloved grandmother, Sarah Ogwel Onyango Obama, affectionately known to many as “Mama Sarah” but known to us as 'Dani' or Granny.
"We will miss her dearly, but we’ll celebrate with gratitude her long and remarkable life."
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta tweeted that Mama Sarah's death was "a big blow for our nation."
"We've lost a strong, virtuous woman. A matriarch who held together the Obama family and was an icon of family values," Mr Kenyatta said.
"She was a loving and celebrated philanthropist who graciously shared the little she had with the less fortunate in her community."
Mrs Obama's daughter Marsat, told The Nation her mum died at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in the city of Kisumu at 4.45am on Monday.
She said her mother had recently been suffering from poor health and had a stroke in September.
Obama visited his step-grandmother in 2006 when he was a senator, bringing her fame in Kenya.
She was the third wife of Obama's grandfather Hussein Onyango Obama.
