conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa

KE

republic

Nairobi

7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast,
Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

12 December 1963 (from UK)

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued
with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1997

based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic
law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982
making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October
1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14
October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote from among the members of
the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 29
December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003); vice president
appointed by the president
election results: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI reelected;
percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP)
31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%,
Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8%

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (222 seats,
12 appointed by the president, 210 members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held between 1
December 2002 and 30 April 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KANU
107, FORD-A 1, FORD-K 17, FORD-People 3, DP 39, NDP 21, SDP 15, SAFINA
5, smaller parties 2; seats appointed by the president - KANU 6,
FORD-K 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1

Court of Appeal, chief justice is appointed by the
president; High Court

Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai
KIBAKI]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A
; Forum for the Restoration of
Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K ; Forum for the
Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People ; Kenya
African National Union or KANU  -
the governing party; National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA,
president, Dr. Charles MARANGA, secretary general]; SAFINA [Farah
MAALIM, chairman, Mghanga MWANDAWIRO, secretary general]; Social
Democratic Party or SDP

human rights groups; labor
unions; Muslim organizations; National Convention Executive Council or
NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment
organizations ; Protestant National Council of
Churches of Kenya or NCCK ; Roman Catholic and other
Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims or SUPKEM
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO

chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel K. CHEMAI (recalled in November
1999)
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:  (202) 387-6101
FAX:  (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON
embassy: US Embassy, Mombasa Road, Nairobi
mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone:  (2) 537-800
FAX:  (2) 537-810

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red,
and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield
covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center