Kenya country profile

Overview
Kenya was formerly a British colony and gained independence on December 12, 1963
Deemed the ‘Cradle of Mankind’ as some of the remnants of the earliest man have been found here
Kenya is famous for its abundance and variety of wildlife

Form of Government
Republic
Chief of State is the President who is elected every five years
The President is eligible for a second term

Government structure
Chief of State and Head of Government is the President, Vice-President; appointed by the President, Prime Minister; constitutionally charged with coordinating government business and the Cabinet which is appointed by the President and headed by the Prime Minister

Military Statistics
Manpower fit for service: Male - 9,044,685, Female - 8,805,736
Expenditures: 2.8% GDP
Branches: Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air Force

Former Rulers
1964 – 1978 Jomo Kenyatta
1978 - 2002 Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi
2002 – Present Mwai Kibaki

Capital
Nairobi
Altitude: 1670 metres
Population: 2.751 million people

Population
Size: 37.5 million
Life expectancy: 57.9 years
Gender make-up: Male – 50.12, Female – 49.88%

GDP per capita
$560

Geography
Area: 580,367sqkm
Land boundaries: Ethiopia 861km, Somalia 682km, Sudan 232km, Tanzania 769km, Uganda 933km

Major Languages
Kiswahili, English

Religious portfolio
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, Indigenous beliefs 10%, other 2%

National Make-up
Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, Non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%

Natural Resources
Limestone, Soda ash, Salt, Gemstones, Fluorspar, Zinc, Diatomite, Gypsum, Wildlife, Hydropower

Main exports
Tea, Coffee, Horticultural products, Petroleum products

Land Use
Arable land: 8.01%
Permanent crops: 0.97%
Other: 91.02%

Monetary Unit/Currency
Kenya Shilling

Dialling Code
+254

Internet Code
.ke

Transport
Main port: Mombasa
Airport: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is located 18km from Nairobi’s CBD

Modern issues

Environmental
Mau Forest crisis: the Mau forest is Kenya’s largest water tower. However during the past 15 years, more than 100,000 hectares - one quarter of the protected forest reserve - have been settled and cleared causing drought in surrounding valleys
Drought due to failed long rains in East Africa
Water pollution from urban and industrial wastes
Degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilisers
Water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria
Deforestation
Soil erosion
Desertification
Poaching
The locally growing moringa tree is being presented at an international conference as one of the few herbal cures for malaria

Political
Controversial 2007 elections led to a power-sharing agreement between Raila Odinga and Mwai Kibaki, to end subsequent violence in 2008
Following the 2008 election violence, the Waki Commission of Inquiry was set up in order to probe the disputed 2007 elections and consequent violence. A National Accord was signed in order to institute reforms. However, these have still not been satisfactorily addressed and those responsible for the electoral violence may be sent to the International Criminal Court

Economic
There is a high level of income inequality within Kenya with the richest 10 per cent of the population controlling almost half of the nation’s wealth, while the poorest 10 per cent hold less than 1 per cent
The Nairobi Stock Exchange has had a negative performance due to fraud allegations, leading to a confidence crisis

Social
Unicef has begun relief efforts in North-Eastern Kenya due to the severe flooding after the severe droughts; efforts include the chlorination of wells and to help families displaced by flooding and landslides
HIV/Aids continues to be a problem – this has led to a higher number of orphans, ageing populations that must look after children and misinformation about the virus has led to shocking crimes such as the rape of children
Following the post-election violence in 2008, approximately 600,000 people were listed as Internally Displaced People (IDP) by the Internally Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). Efforts to resettle the IDPs continue with the government seeking to give handouts for compensation

Foreign Affairs
The UK continues to be a strong trading partner with Kenya and a major source of foreign assistance
The US has imposed bans on several prominent Kenyans, including most recently the Attorney-General, Mr Amos Wako, for obstructing reforms following the 2008 election violence

The Major Conflicts

Mau Mau Conflict
When: Early 1950s – Early 1960s
Who: Mau Mau guerrilla fighters vs British colonial government
Why: Was primarily a conflict over land lost to the British colonial government that evolved into a fight for independence
Outcome: Mau Mau movement became a catalyst for independence and subsided with British reforms and eventually ended with Kenyan independence

Attempted Coup d’etat
When: 1982
Who: Group from the Kenyan Air Force (although politicians, lawyers and students were accused of playing a part) vs Daniel Arap Moi’s Government
Why: Disenchantment with the Moi regime
Outcome: After the announcement on the national radio, the Voice of Kenya, that the government had been overthrown, the General Service Unit (GSU) and loyalist forces were able to suppress the coup. Hezekiah Ochuka, a Senior Private Grade-I (the second lowest rank in Kenya’s military) ruled Kenya for a few hours before escaping to Tanzania. After being extradited to Kenya, he was tried and found guilty for leading the coup and hanged in 1987 along with 12 others convicted of treason. Several hundred others were jailed.

What to see?
The Great Migration: a semi-annual occurrence of, predominantly, wildebeest that migrate in a circle from Tanzania to Kenya and back
The Great Rift Valley
The Maasai Mara: One of Africa’s jewel game reserves

Sports
Popular Sports
Football
Athletics
Rugby

Famous sportsmen and sportswomen
David Rudisha: - World 800M record holder

Pamela Jelimo: – 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist. The first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal and also the Golden League Jackpot in 2008
Samuel Kamau Wanjiru: – Winner of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and an Olympics record. Wanjiru was the first Kenyan to win the Olympic gold in the marathon

Quirks
The ‘Lunatic Express’ was the name given to the railroad from Mombasa to Uganda built by the British in East Africa. It was called thus because of its wild nature. It had shaky looking wooden trestle bridges, enormous chasms, prohibitive costs, men dropping by the hundreds from diseases, and man-eating lions pulling railway workers out of carriages at night