Politics and Government in Kenya

Characterized by polarization and intrigue, politics in Kenya are marred by animosities, alliances, horse-trading, propaganda, greed, corruption and underhandedness, creating the political landscape in Kenya the greatest risk for local and foreign investment. Nevertheless, the recent promulgation of a new constitution brings hope not only for the Kenyan population but also for current and possible investors in numerous sectors of the economy.

History of Kenyan politics

A lot of the poitics and government is influenced by the tribal make up of the Kenyan demographic.

- A solid political environment was established with the colonization of Kenya by the British from 1895-1963. - Kenya became an independent Republic in 1964. The first president of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, below the Kenya African National Union (KANU party), ruled Kenya as a single-party state until his death in 1978. - Kenyatta was succeeded by his Vice President, Daniel Moi, who ruled Kenya for 24 years until 2002 - The rule below Moi, popularly known as the Moi regime, saw Kenya witness the worst political turmoil and political stagnation as the second president tried to maintain the status quo by utilizing political repression and dictatorship. His tenure was flawed with political killings, ethnic clashes, violations of human rights and corruption. - In 1991, Moi gave in to internal and external demands to reinstate a multi-party system. - In the 2002 elections, Mwai Kibaki won the elections overwhelmingly on the NARC party ticket. - In 2007, Kibaki was sworn in as President amidst the worst political instability Kenya has ever witnessed, resulting in the 2007-2008 post-election violence. - The Kibaki presidency was noticed by many as the light at the end of the tunnel. Accurate to this, his presidency went to lengths to stabilize the political atmosphere, grow the economy, make sure fair distribution of resources and attract and assistance investors by providing investment incentives. - In contrast to his predecessor who looked to the West for help, Kibaki leaned more towards the East.

Government political system

There are 3 arms of the government that function independently but complement each other:

- The Executive - The Legislature - The Judiciary

Present government

A coalition government formed as a result of the political statemate, led by a president and a prime minister, presently rules Kenya. Now Kenya waits to vote in their third president in 2013.

Human rights problems

- Other than being a democratic nation, Kenya has two essential watchdogs of society: a vibrant media presence and an exceptionally active civil society, each acting to make sure that basic human rights are safeguarded. - Human rights violations were most rampant throughout the Moi regime (even though the other governments have witnessed some). - The present scenario paints a promising future with few human rights violations being reported and new laws becoming applied successfully. - The new constitution has helped generate reforms in social and legal institutions and upholds personal liberties.