Kenya

The Republic of Kenya, or Kenya ({{IPA2|?k?nj?}}), is a country in East Africa. It borders Ethiopia on the north, Somalia on the north-east, Tanzania on the south, Uganda on the west, and Sudan on the northwest, with the Indian Ocean on the southeast.

Political Structure

Main article: Politics of Kenya

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Kenya is a republic; the President of Kenya is both the chief of state and the head of government. Kenya has a unicameral National Assembly consisting of 210 members elected to a term of up to five years from single-member constituencies, plus 12 members nominated by political parties on a proportional representation basis. The president appoints the vice president and cabinet members from among those elected to the National Assembly. The attorney general and the speaker are ex officio members of the Assembly. The judiciary is headed by a High Court, consisting of a chief justice and High Court judges, and judges of Kenya's Court of Appeal (no associate judges), all appointed by the president.

Related Topics:
Republic - President of Kenya - Unicameral - High Court

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Kenya has had a multi-party system since 1991 via constitutional amendment, with politicians frequently "crossing the floor" or setting up new political parties and coalitions to achieve their political aims. In December 2002, Kenya held democratic and open elections and elected Mwai K?bak? as president from the National Alliance Party of Kenya (NAK) as president. The NAK and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) formed the NARC coalition that currently governs Kenya.

Related Topics:
Multi-party system - 2002 - Democratic - Elections - Mwai K?bak? - National Alliance Party of Kenya - Liberal Democratic Party

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Kenya is in the process of rewriting its post-colonial constitution and its subsequent amendments that gave the president nearly unlimited powers and immunity from the law accounting for many of Kenya's current problems with corruption. Constitutional reform is being delayed by disagreement amongst the coalition members. The right-leaning NAK favours a centralized Presidential system, while the left leaning LDP -- led by Raila Odinga -- favor a parliamentary system with Prime Minister. As of July 2005, the government is in the process of significantly amending the country's constitution, in the midst of mild riots and demonstrations. The Kenyan government has announced November 21 2005 as the day for a referendum, to either vote for or against the new constitution.

Related Topics:
Constitution - Raila Odinga

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