Research Library: Kenya
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Last Updated Apr 09, 2009
Country Information
Government
- Kenya is a republic. The president must win the popular vote and 25% of the vote in at least five Kenyan provinces. The president serves a five-year term (eligible for a second). The prime minister position was restored in response to the outbreak of violence that followed the 2007 presidential elections. The unicameral National Assembly (Bunge) has 224 seats, each member serving a five-year term. 210 of those seats are elected by popular vote, 12 are appointed, and 2 are ex-officio members.
- President Mwai Kibaki was reelected in 2007 however the election was contested and violence followed. A UN sponsored talk reinstated the position of Prime Minister, given to opposition leader Ralia Odinga, and created a power-sharing agreement between the two parties.
Political Stability
- Despite conflict in neighboring countries and changing political systems within, Kenya has remained relatively stable since becoming independent from Britain in 1963. This is attributed to the introduction of multi-party politics and increasing freedom. In 2006, widespread governmental corruption and scandals were met with international condemnation and internal outrage.
- Instability returned to Kenya after the 2007 election of incumbent President Kibaki. The opposition party accused the elected administration of vote rigging. Violence occurred throughout Kenya which left 1,000 people dead and created 600,000 refugees and internally displaced people. The fighting ended with a power-sharing agreement sponsored by the UN however the relationship between the two parties remains tense.
Current Government Policies
- The government¿s main priorities aim to prevent violence and stabilize the new coalition government. The government has proposed several reforms to prevent the political and tribal violence that followed the 2007 elections. In mid-2009, the government plans to draft a new constitution which will strengthen its current institutions so that they can provide better checks and balances.
International Reputation
- Kenya is strengthening its economic relationship with neighboring Uganda and Tanzania. Kenya helped negotiate agreements for both the Sudanese civil war and to reinstate a government in Somalia. Kenya is host to 300,000 refugees from both conflicts. Kenya¿s relations with the West are relatively good. Recent domestic problems have been blamed on Western pressure. Since the 1998 bombing of an US embassy in Nairobi, Kenya has been working with the US to combat terrorism in Kenya.
Economics
- Kenya serves as the regional trading hub for East Africa. Under President Arap Moi, the Kenyan government suffered from corruption. The government¿s failure to stop corruption and maintain reforms resulted in the suspension of Kenya¿s Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program from the IMF. The loan resumed after the 1999-2000 drought struck the region but once again, IMF halted aid due to the lack of anti-corruption measures.
- President Kibaki has been successful in rooting out corruption in the government and obtaining foreign donor support. However, in 2005 the government was hit by another scandal which resulted in the delaying of IMF funds until government action was taken. Foreign aid has resumed despite that fact that the government took little action.
Foreign Aid
Statistics
Click on statistic name for source information.
Web Resources
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