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Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa
Data code: KE
Government type: republic
Capital: Nairobi
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1997
Legal system: 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compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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 T. arap MOI reelected; percent
of vote—Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.12%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP)
31.09%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 10.2%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-Kenya)
8.29%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.71%
Legislative branch: 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-Kenya 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, chief justice is appointed by the president; High Court
Political parties and leaders:
ruling party: Kenya African National Union or KANU [President
Daniel Toroitich arap MOI]
opposition party: Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai KIBAKI];
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A [Martin
SHIKUKU, chairman]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya
or FORD-K [Michael Kijana WAMALWA]; Forum for the Restoration
of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Raymond MATIBA]; National
Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA, president and Dr. Charles
MARANGA, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Anyang
N'YANGO, secretary general]; SAFINA [Farah MAALIM, chairman, Mghanga
MWANDAWIRO, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava MUSYIMI]; Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY, chairman]
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, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOP, UNOMIL, UNOMSIL, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in
the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel K. CHEMAI
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from
the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Prudence B. BUSHNELL
embassy: USAID Building, The Crescent, Parklands, Nairobi (temporary
location)
mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE
09831
telephone: [254] (2) 751613
FAX: [254] (2) 743204
Flag description: 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