Kenya: Government#
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri ya Kenya local short form: Kenya former: British East Africa etymolgy: named for Mount Kenya; the meaning of the name is unclear but may derive from the Kikuyu, Embu, and Kamba words "kirinyaga," "kirenyaa," and "kiinyaa" - all of which mean "God's resting place" |
|---|---|
| Government type | presidential republic |
| Capital | Nairobi
Nairobi
geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions | 47 counties; Baringo, Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Elgeyo/Marakwet, Embu, Garissa, Homa Bay, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kakamega, Kericho, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kirinyaga, Kisii, Kisumu, Kitui, Kwale, Laikipia, Lamu, Machakos, Makueni, Mandera, Marsabit, Meru, Migori, Mombasa, Murang'a, Nairobi City, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok, Nyamira, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Samburu, Siaya, Taita/Taveta, Tana River, Tharaka-Nithi, Trans Nzoia, Turkana, Uasin Gishu, Vihiga, Wajir, West Pokot |
| Independence | 12 December 1963 (from the UK) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 12 December (1963); Madaraka Day, 1 June (1963); Mashujaa Day (or Heroes' Day), 20 October (2010) |
| Constitution | previous 1963, 1969; latest drafted 6 May 2010, passed by referendum 4 August 2010, promulgated 27 August 2010 (2016) |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; judicial review in a new Supreme Court established pursuant to the new constitution |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kenya dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Uhuru KENYATTA (since 9 April 2013); Deputy President William RUTO (since 9 April 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Uhuru KENYATTA (since 9 April 2013); Deputy President William RUTO (since 9 April 2013); note - position of the prime minister abolished after the March 2013 elections cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, subject to confirmation by the National Assembly elections/appointments: president and deputy president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving an absolute majority popular vote, the presidential candidate must also win at least 25% of the votes cast in each of more than half of the 47 counties to avoid a runoff; election last held on 4 March 2013 (next to be held in 2017) election results: Uhuru KENYATTA elected president in first round; percent of vote - Uhuru KENYATTA (TNA) 50.1%, Raila ODINGA (ODM) 43.7%, Musalia MUDAVADI (UDF) 4.0%, other 2.2% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral parliament consists of the Senate (67 seats; 47 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 20 directly elected by proportional representation vote - 16 women, 2 representing youth, and 2 representing the disabled; members serve 5-year terms) and the National Assembly (349 seats; 290 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 47 women in single-seat constituencies elected by simple majority vote, and 12 members nominated by the National Assembly - 6 representing youth and 6 representing the disabled; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 4 March 2013 (next to be held in 2017) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Jubilee Alliance 30 (TNA 17, URP 12, NARC 1); CORD Coalition 28 (ODM 17, FORD-K 5, WDM-K 5, other 1); Amani Coalition 6 (KANU 3, UDF 3), APK 3; National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Jubilee Alliance 167 (TNA 89, URP 75, NARC 3), CORD Coalition 141 (ODM 96, WDM-K 26, FORD-K 10, other 9), Amani Coalition 24 (UDF 12, KANU 6, NFK 6), Eagle Coalition 2 (KNC 2), APK 5, FORD-P 4, independent 4, other 2 |
| Judicial branch | highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of chief and deputy chief justices and 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief and deputy chief justices nominated by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and appointed by president with approval of the National Assembly; other judges nominated by the JSC and appointed by president; chief justice serves a nonrenewable 10-year term or till age 70 whichever comes first; other judges serve till age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Appeal; military courts; magistrates' courts; religious courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance Party of Kenya or APK (Kiraitu MURUNGI) Amani National Congress (Musalia MUDAVADI) Coalition for Reforms and Democracy or CORD (includes ODM, WDM-K, FORD-K) (Raila ODINGA) Federal Party of Kenya or FPK (Cyrus JIRONGA) Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K (Moses WETANGULA) Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-P (Henry OBWOCHA) Jubilee Party (Uhuru KENYATTA) Kenya African National Union or KANU (Gideon MOI) National Rainbow Coalition or NARC (Charity NGILU) Orange Democratic Movement Party of Kenya or ODM (Raila ODINGA) Wiper Democratic Movement-K or WDM-K (formerly Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K) (Kalonzo MUSYOKA) |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | African Center for Open Governance (Gladwell OTIENO) Anglican Church of Kenya (Archbishop Jackson Nasoore Ole SAPIT) Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya or CIPK (Sheikh Mohammed KHALIFA) Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya Kenya Association of Manufacturers Kenya Human Rights Commission or KHRC (George KEGORO) Kenya Private Sector Alliance Kenyans for Peace with Truth and Justice (umbrella group of more than 30 NGOs) Muslim Human Rights Forum (Ali-Amin KIMATHI) National Muslim Leaders Forum or NAMLEF (Abdullahi ABDI) Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK (Canon Peter Karanja MWANGI) Roman Catholic Church (Cardinal John NJUE) Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM (Adan WACHU, secretary general) other: labor unions, other Christian churches |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Robinson GITHAE (since 18 November 2014) chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (1) (202) 387-6101 FAX: (1) (202) 462-3829 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC (since 16 January 2013) embassy: United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P.O. Box 606 Village Market, Nairobi 00621 mailing address: American Embassy Nairobi, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-8900 telephone: (254) (20) 363-6000 FAX: (254) (20) 363-6157 |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large Maasai warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center; black symbolizes the majority population, red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green stands for natural wealth, and white for peace; the shield and crossed spears symbolize the defense of freedom |
| National symbol(s) | lion; national colors: black, red, green, white |
| National anthem | name: "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu" (Oh God of All Creation) lyrics/music: Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE/traditional, adapted by Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE note: adopted 1963; based on a traditional Kenyan folk song |