Kenya

Ethnic divisions account for many of Kenya's problems. During the early 1990s, tribal clashes killed thousands and left tens of thousands homeless. Ethnically split opposition groups allowed the regime of Daniel Toroitich arap MOI, in power since 1978, to be reelected for a fourth term in 1997 in balloting marred by violence and fraud.

• water pollution from urban and industrial wastes;
• degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers;
• deforestation;
• soil erosion;
• desertification;
• poaching

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa;
• glaciers on Mt. Kenya;
• unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

0-14 years:

43% (male 6,566,424; female 6,419,034)

15-64 years:

54% (male 8,284,719; female 8,238,121)

65 years and over:

3% (male 366,200; female 465,272) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.79 male(s)/female

total population:

1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Kenyan(s)

adjective:

Kenyan

conventional long form:

Republic of Kenya

conventional short form:

Kenya

former:

British East Africa

• 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• constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991

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 Toroitich arap MOI reelected;
• percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8%

• 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];
• Kenya African National Union or KANU [President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI] - the governing party;
• National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA, president, Dr. Charles MARANGA, secretary general];
• SAFINA [Farah MAALIM, chairman, Mghanga MWANDAWIRO, secretary general];
• Social Democratic Party or SDP [Anyang N'YANGO, secretary general]

• human rights groups;
• labor unions;
• Muslim organizations;
• National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];
• Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava MUSYIMI];
• Roman Catholic and other Christian churches;
• Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY, chairman]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Samuel K. CHEMAI (recalled in November 1999)

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Johnnie CARSON

embassy:

US Embassy, Mombasa Road, Nairobi

mailing address:

P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831

telephone:

[254] (2) 537-800

FAX:

[254] (2) 537-810

• 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

lowest 10%:

1.2%

highest 10%:

47.7% (1992)

• small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing;
• oil refining, cement;
• tourism

total:

2,778 km

narrow gauge:

2,778 km 1.000-m gauge

note: the line connecting Nairobi with the port of Mombasa is the most important in the country

total:

63,800 km

paved:

8,868 km

unpaved:

54,932 km (1996 est.)

total:

2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,893 GRT/6,255 DWT

ships by type:

petroleum tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

• widespread harvesting of small, wild plots of marijuana and qat (chat);
• transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and, sometimes, North America;
• Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]