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Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991.
The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.
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Geography Of Kenya
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Location:
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Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
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Geographic coordinates:
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1 00 N, 38 00 E
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 582,650 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
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Land boundaries:
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total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
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Coastline:
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536 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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Climate:
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varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
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Terrain:
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low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
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Natural resources:
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gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 7.03%
permanent crops: 0.91%
other: 92.06% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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670 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value
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e zoneThree hours ahead of GMT
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Climate
- Altitude ranges from sea Level to 5,199 metres.
- Temperatures range from high humid of Coast to the cold and wet regions of Aberdares, Cherangany and Mau Escarpment, Mt.Elgon and the freezing points at the top of Mt. Kenya.
- There are two rainy seasons: long rains at the end of March through May and the short rains at the end of October through December.
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Business hours- Monday –Friday 08.00 to 13.00 hours and 14.00 to 17.00 hours
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Banking hours- Monday- Friday 09.00 to 15.00hours
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Currency- Kenya Shilling
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Weights and Measures- Metric System
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Electricity-220-240 volts (mainly 3 pin/square plugs)
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Public Holidays
- 1st January New Year
- Easter Holidays Good Friday and Easter Monday
- 1st May Labour Day
- 1st June Madaraka Day
- 20th October Mashujaa Day
- 12th Dec. Jamhuri Day
- 25th Dec. Christmas Day
- 26th Dec. Boxing Day
- End of Ramadhan Idd-ul-Ftr
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