Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki (undated photo)

Among several conversations he held with world leaders Tuesday, U.S. president-elect Barack Obama spoke with Mwai Kibaki, the president of his late father's country, Kenya.

A statement issued by the Kenyan presidency Wednesday said Mr. Kibaki told his soon-to-be American counterpart that his election victory had been received with immense pride and gratification.

The Kenyan president is quoted as saying that even though Kenyans know Mr. Obama holds his allegiance to Americans, they are confident Kenya will always have a special place in his heart.

Mr. Kibaki also invited the president-elect to visit Kenya at his earliest convenience. Mr. Obama has made three previous visits to Kenya, most recently in 2006.

His election victory on November 4 sparked widespread celebrations in Kenya, where a national holiday was declared two days later.

The new U.S. president has many relatives in Kenya, but has had little contact with them.

Mr. Obama's father went from herding goats in the Kenyan town of Kogelo to studying in Hawaii and at the prestigious Harvard university in the United States, but spent very little time with his son.