KENYA


Kenya lies in East Africa, and is bordered by Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has a climate ranging from tropical to temperate largely depending on the altitude.

Country Facts

Full Name: Republic of Kenya

Area: 580,370 sq km (224,081 sq miles)

Population: 34.5 million (UN 2005)

Capital City: Nairobi

Communities (approx): Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 15%, Luo 12%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Maasai/Samburu 2%

Language(s): English, Kiswahili, various indigenous languages

Religion(s): Protestant (mainstream) 27%, Protestant (evangelical) 23%, Roman Catholic 31%, Muslim 8%, other 2%, None 2% (Afro Barometer, March 2004)

Life Expectancy: 48 years (males), 46 years (females) UN

Internet Domain: .ke

International Dialling Code: +254

Political Leadership
President: Emilio Mwai Kibaki (re-elected 27 December 2007)
Vice President (and Minister for Home Affairs): Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka
Prime Minister: Raila Odinga (sworn-in 17 April 2008)
Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of Trade): Uhuru Kenyatta
Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister for Local Government): Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi
Foreign Affairs Minister: Moses Wetangula

Major Political Parties

 President Mwai Kibaki heads the Party of National Unity (PNU); Including National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya (Narc-K), Democratic Party (DP), Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya (Ford-Kenya), Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People (Ford-People), New Ford-Kenya, Kenyan African National Union (KANU), Shirikisho, Safina, and other smaller parties. Prime Minister Raila Odinga heads the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM),  and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka heads the smaller Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya (ODM-K). 

Basic Economic Facts

GDP: US$27.3 (2007); GDP per capita: US$580 (World Bank 2007)
Annual growth: 6% (estimate 2008)
Inflation: 21% (March 2008)
Currency: Kenyan Shilling (KSH)- 1KSH=100 cents

Exchange Rate: £1=127 KSh, $1=74 KSh, KSh1=UgSh23, KSh1=TZSh16 (Oct 2008)

Major Trading Partners: Africa (46.2%) mainly Uganda and Tanzania, European Union (28.5%), UK the leading partner, the Far East tops the EU for imports.

World Bank

Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy with up to 80% of the population dependent on it. In 2004 there was modest growth (1.6%) in the agricultural sector (horticultural products, coffee, tea, maize, sisal, cotton, tobacco and dairy produce). The strongest performers were horticulture, tea and sugarcane. Tourism, a major source of foreign exchange, picked up significantly in 2004 with a 51.9% increase in earnings over 2003. Economic growth rose to 2.8% in 2003 and reached 4.3% in 2004 according to government figures – exceeding population growth (2.95%) for the first time in several years.

DFID Country Profile: Kenya

 HISTORY

Kenya became a British protectorate in 1895 and a colony in 1920. White settlement was encouraged and by the 1940s European settlers had achieved considerable prosperity. African population growth resulted in increasing pressure for land. Jommo Kenyatta formed the first national organisation in 1944. But when the Mau Mau rebellion erupted in 1952, a state of emergency was declared, parties were banned and Kenyatta was tried and sent to prison. African members were elected to the legislative council in 1957 and the state of emergency was lifted in 1960. Political parties were legalised and Africans formed a majority on the legislative council. Two parties emerged: the Kenya Africa National Union (KANU) and the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU). KANU won a general election in 1961 but refused to form an administration until the release of Kenyatta.

At independence in 1963, Kenyatta became Prime Minister. The following year KADU dissolved itself and Kenya became a republic with Kenyatta as its first President. A new opposition party was banned in 1969 and Kenya remained a de facto 1-party state for the remainder of Kenyatta's rule. Upon his death in 1978, Daniel arap Moi became President.

In 1991, under pressure from Kenyan activists and the international community, this was reversed and  multi-party democracy  restored, several opposition parties emerged: FORD Kenya, FORD Asili, Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, National Development Party of Kenya and other smaller parties. However, KANU retained control, winning contentious elections in 1992 and 1997 against a divided opposition and amidst allegations of election abuse. The Kenyan political environment remained turbulent throughout the 1990s.

President Moi stepped down in 2002, as required by the 1991 constitution. Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Jommo Kenyatta, secured the leadership of KANU and stood for the Presidency, but a group of MPs broke with KANU to form the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). For the first time, all the opposition parties united under the banner of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) and behind a single presidential candidate. President Kibaki's general election victory on 27 December 2002 ended nearly 40 years of KANU rule. The elections were the cleanest and most peaceful in Kenya's history and were followed by a smooth transfer of power to NARC. President Kibaki secured 62% of the popular vote and NARC won 132 seats in the unicameral parliament of 222 seats.

But the first years of NARC's rule proved difficult due to the fracturing of the NARC coalition, especially over completion of the constitutional review process started under Moi. A lengthy public consultation process produced a new draft constitution (known as the Bomas draft) in March 2004. But its provisions, notably those reducing the executive powers of the Presidency, proved unacceptable to the government. After a protracted legal wrangle, the government secured Parliamentary approval for certain key amendments to be made and a new Constitution Bill was published. However, the new draft was rejected by 58% of voters when it was put to a referendum in November 2005. This prompted Kibaki to sack his entire government and start with a new team which excluded all the ministers who voted against the draft. This group formed a new political party, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

In the run-up to the December 2007 general election, the 2 main parties reformed into large coalitions. In August 2007, Orange Democratic Movement – formed after the November 2005 referendum - split into the larger Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) led by Raila Odinga, and the smaller Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya, led by Kalonzo Musyoka. In September the ruling party NARC-Kenya became the Party of National Unity (PNU).

The election proved to be the closest – and most bitterly - fought in Kenya's multi-party era. Initial reports were that the 28 December poll was largely free and fair. The ODM coalition took the largest number of Parliamentary seats, and official exit polls pointed to a win by the opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga . But a delay in announcing the Presidential contest raised doubts about the overall conduct of the election.

 Despite growing concerns, on 30 December 2007 the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) announced that the incumbent Mwai Kibaki had won the Presidential race by a margin of 231,728 votes.

The opposition candidate Raila Odinga rejected the result outright. The Chairman of the ECK, Samuel Kivuitu, has since stated that he made the announcement of Kibaki's win 'under duress'. The European Union Election Observer Mission noted that the presidential elections lacked credibility, and fell short of international standards.

Kibaki's re-election was met with serious communal violence – especially between rival ethnic groups - and a strong response by government security forces; over 1,000 people were reportedly killed, and an estimated 300,000 people displaced . Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary General, was requested by the African Union to lead a panel of Eminent African Personalities to help negotiate a power-sharing deal between Odinga and Kibaki. An agreement was signed on 28 February 2008, which was welcomed by the international community. On 17 April a 40-strong Grand Coalition Cabinet with Raila Odinga as Prime Minister was sworn-in.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Kenya is a member of various regional and international organizations. The new East African Community (EAC) was formally launched in January 2001. It has a parliament, the East African Legislative Assembly, and a secretariat in Arusha (Tanzania). A Customs Union protocol, signed in 2004, came into effect on 1 January 2005.

Kenya is also a member of Inter Governmental Authority on Development - IGAD (comprising Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), The African Union (AU), United Nations Organization (UNO) World Trade Organization (WTO) and being a former colony of Britain, Kenya is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

 Kenya has played a key mediation role in the Sudan and Somali peace talks. Its armed forces have also been key in restoring peace in war torn countries like Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Rwanda, Burundi and The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

United Nations Development Programme

Banking in Kenya

The three major banks in Kenya are Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered. Barclays and Standard Chartered have a strong presence in many African countries, while KCB is partly owned by the Kenyan government. These banks have offices in many cities and towns throughout Kenya. KCB has 119 branches in Kenya, Barclays 43 and Standard Chartered 28.

Other banks with a strong presence include Cooperative Bank, National Bank,  Equity Bank, Family Finance Bank, NIC Bank, Bank Of Baroda, Citi Bank among many others.

Of late Kenya has seen an emergence of investment banks like Zimele Asset Management, Old Mutual and Suntra Investment Bank.

Many Kenyan employees also bank with numerous Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs)

Furthermore, Western Union can be handy if you have to send money to Kenya, as offices in 200 countries world-wide. Various banks in Kenya (among them the Post Bank) function as the local agents of Western Union

Money Gram money transfer is also another means of sending money to Kenya. The Kenya Cooperative Bank is Money Gram's local agent.

Most bank offices have ATMs (cash machines), so you'll find an ATM in most cities and towns in Kenya. But not all ATMs accept all international cards. Visa cards are the most widely supported. Other cards include MasterCard, Cirrus and Point cards. Check debit or credit card whether it shows any of these logos. In general, Barclays Bank ATMs accept all the mentioned card types.

Changing money is possible at all banks in Kenya (as well as some big hotels), but they charge higher commissions and/or flat fees than foreign exchange bureaus or Forex Bureaus found in the major cities of Nairobi and Mombasa. Since money changers like to keep their exchange rates and tariffs shady, always ask that they fully explain their prices to you.

Kenya Commercial Bank

Website | Branch locator | ATM Locator

Opening hours: 9.00 AM - 15.00 PM Monday-Friday and 9.00 AM to 12.00 AM Saturday.

- Barclays:

Website | Branch Locator | ATM Locator

Opening hours: 8.00 AM – 4.45 PM Monday-Friday.

- Standard Chartered:

Website | Branch and ATM Locator

Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Monday-Friday; and 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM every first and last Saturday of the month.

Visiting Kenya

A visa is required from many countries, check with the nearest embassy or consulate for visa application or Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Kenya

www.kenyaembassy.com

www.mfa.go.ke

www.statehousekenya.go.ke 

Public Holidays

Changing Public Holidays: Good Friday, Easter Monday, Eid ur Fitr

Tourist Attractions

Kenya boasts some of the best tourist attractions in the world including the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Tsavo National Parks, the magnificent flamingoes of Lake Nakuru national park. There are also numerous private conservancies in the expansive Rift Valley. These parks teem with wildlife and especially the "big five" of lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) www.kws.org  is charged with the responsibility of protecting and conserving Kenya's wild life.

Kenyan coast is also a major tourist haven with stunning beaches.

Accommodation

Nairobi and Mombasa cities have some of the best hotels anywhere with international five star hotels like The Hilton, Serena, Inter Continental, Safari Park, Nairobi Safari Club and Grand Regency hotels being the most famous.

International class beach hotels line up the Kenyan coast with various exclusive lodges in all national parks and game reserves. 

Air Travel

Kenya has 3 international airports; Jommo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Moi International Airport in Mombasa and Eldoret International Airport. Other regional airports and airstrips include Wilson Airport- Nairobi, Kisumu Airport, Ukunda, and Malindi at the coast.

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KACC) www.kcaa.or.ke is the state corporation that is charged with securing the sound development of the civil aviation industry in Kenya.

Road Travel

Kenya has a well established road network with major highways and roads paved. Caution should be taken while driving since parts of Kenyan roads are in poor condition with sections of the highways being pot holed.

Numerous bus companies ply the major routes between cities and towns. Other modes of transport include well managed taxis, car rentals and chatter vans. Local populace depends on popular matatu vans that ply intra and inter city routes. 

Rail Transport

The Kenya Uganda railway is mainly for cargo with inconsistent passenger travel between Nairobi and Mombasa, Nairobi and Kisumu.

Communications

Kenya has a well developed cell phone communication with 'Safaricom' and 'Zain' being the leading cell phone service providers. Telcom Kenya offers both land line and cell phone services. Internet services are also well developed in major cities.  Dial-up, LAN, and Broadband are available.

Religion and Culture

Freedom of worship is a constitutional right in Kenya.  Christianity, the dominant religion, co-exists with Islam and other traditional religions. Kenya, a country of 53 tribes has a very colorful cultural heritage. Some of the tribes still maintain their traditional ways of life. These include the Maasai, Turukana and Samburu communities.

Education

Kenyan system of education follows eight years of primary education, four years of secondary education and four years of university education. Primary education is free while the government pays tuition in secondary school.

Kenya has six public universities:

1.      University of Nairobi www.uonbi.ac.ke

2.      Kenyatta University  www.ku.ac.ke

3.      Moi University www.mu.ac.ke

4.      Maseno University www.maseno.ac.ke

5.      Egerton University www.egerton.ac.ke

6.      Masinde Muliro Univeristy www.mmust.ac.ke

Private universities include:

1.      Baraton University

2.      Kabarak University

3.      Daystar University

4.      United States International University

5.      Kenya Methodist University

6.      Catholic University of East Africa

7.      Strathmore University

8.      African Nazarene University

There are various other private universities that operate under a chatter awaiting full registration.  The country too has numerous tertiary colleges offering certificates and diplomas in various disciplines.

Media

Kenya has a vibrant media comprising both state owned and private run media houses

Dailies

·         Daily Nation - published by the Nation Media Group, the paper claims to have three quarters of the Kenyan newspaper market. It is widely regarded as being independent and balanced

·         The Standard - privately-owned daily, and Kenya's oldest newspaper

·         East African - English-language weekly published by the Nation Media Group

·         Taifa Leo - Kenya's only Swahili-language daily, published by the Nation Media Group

·         Kenya Times - Kanu party paper, daily

·         The People Daily - owned by veteran politician Kenneth Matiba

Popular Magazines

·         Drum

·         True Love

·         Parents

·         Eve

.

Television

·         Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) - state-owned, channels in English and Swahili

·         Metro TV - KBC-operated Nairobi station targeting younger viewers

·         Kenya Television Network (KTN) - first TV station to break state broadcasting monopoly; available in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu

·         NTV - Nairobi-based, operated by Nation Media Group

·         Citizen TV - privately-owned

·         Stella TV (STV) - privately-owned

·         Family TV - Christian

Radio

·         Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) - state-owned, services in English, Swahili and 15 other indigenous languages

·         Metro FM - national music-based station operated by KBC

·         Coro FM - KBC-operated Kikuyu-language station in Nairobi

·         Capital FM - private, music-based

·         East FM - private, targets Nairobi's Asian listeners

·         Easy FM - operated by Nation Media Group, relays in Nairobi, Eldoret, Kisumu, Mombasa, Nakuru, Nyeri

·         Kiss FM - private, targeting the youth

·         Kameme FM - private, targets Kikuyu speakers in Nairobi and central highlands

·         Radio Citizen - private, also operates Kikuyu-language Inooro FM and Luo-language Radio Ramogi

·         Rehema Radio - private, Eldoret,

·         Kass FM- private, broadcasts in Kalenjin

News Agency

·         Kenya News Agency - state-owned,