Perhaps the adoption of a Kenyan identity was out of necessity. In president Stoner’s book, he recounted how his last two years of high school were a drug and alcohol induced blur. Under such circumstances it’s unlikely he had the requisite grades/SAT scores to enter college as a graduating American. Maybe as a foreign student from an underdeveloped country, he received favorable consideration without regard to grades or preparedness.
And...it nails down the “African” in his claim to be African-American (since he isn’t of slave descent...you know...down with the struggle).