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KENYA
Kenya is a country of eastern Africa, bordering
Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and the Indian Ocean. Nairobi is
its capital and largest city.
History
Fossils found in East Africa suggest that protohumans roamed the area more
than 20 million years ago. Recent finds near Kenya's Lake Turkana indicate
that hominids like Homo habilis and Homo erectus lived in Kenya 2.6 million
years ago.
The colonial history of Kenya dates from the
establishment of a German protectorate over the Sultan of Zanzibar's coastal
possessions in 1885, followed by the arrival of the Imperial British East
Africa Company in 1888. Incipient imperial rivalry was forestalled when
Germany handed its coastal holdings to Britain in 1890.
From October 1952 to December 1959, Kenya was under a state of emergency
arising from a rebellion against British rule. The first direct elections
for Africans to the Legislative Council took place in 1957. Despite British
hopes of handing power to "moderate" African rivals, it was the Kenya
African National Union of Jomo Kenyatta, which formed a government shortly
before Kenya became independent on December 12, 1963. A year later, Kenyatta
became Kenya's first president.
At Kenyatta's death in 1978, Daniel arap Moi became President, and in
democratic multiparty elections in 1992 and 1997 won re-election. In 2002,
Moi was constitutionally barred from running and Mwai Kibaki, was elected
President.
Politics
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 arap Moi, in
power from 1978 until 2002, to be reelected for four terms, with the
election in 1997 being marred by violence and fraud.
Provinces
Kenya is divided into 7 provinces and 1 area*:
Central
Coast
Eastern
Nairobi Area*
North Eastern
Nyanza
Rift Valley
Western
Economy
Kenya is well placed to serve as an engine of growth in East Africa, but its
economy shows signs of stagnating. Some argue that this is because of poor
management and uneven commitment to reform, others insist that structural
imbalances in world trade, particularly with regard to falling commodity
prices and lack of access to western markets, have much to do with poor
economic growth.
In 1993, the government of Kenya implemented a program of economic
liberalization and reform that included the removal of import licensing,
price controls, and foreign exchange controls. With the support of the World
Bank, IMF, and other donors, the reforms led to a brief turnaround in
economic performance following a period of negative growth in the early
1990s. One of the unintended consequence of freeing foreign exchange control
was that it allowed a gold scam (Goldenberg) in which the Kenyan government
lost over 600 million US dollars. This resulted in a weak currency which
hindered economic improvement. Kenya's GDP grew 5% in 1995 and 4% in 1996,
and inflation remained under control. Growth slowed in 1997-1999 however.
Political violence damaged the tourist industry, and Kenya's Enhanced
Structural Adjustment Program lapsed. A new economic team was put in place
in 1999 to revitalize the reform effort, strengthen the civil service, and
curb corruption, but wary donors continue to question the government's
commitment to western establishment ideas of sound economic policy.
Considered by some to be long-term barriers to development are, electricity
shortages, the government's continued and allegedly inefficient dominance of
key sectors, corruption, the foreign debt burden, unstable international
commodity prices, poor communication infrastructure and the country's high
population growth rate. Example, the whole Kenya population rely on a single
VSAT for internet. Improvement is unlikely until Telkom loses its monopoly
control of national internet connectivity via the Jambonet network. All
local ISP's are obliged to use Jambonet for internet connectivity.
Demographics
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 arap Moi, in
power from 1978 until 2002, to be re-elected for four terms, with the
election in 1997 being marred by violence and fraud.
Ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%,
Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)
1%
Religious affiliation: Various Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, Muslim
6%, Traditional Religions 22%.
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