Long-form name: Republic of Kenya

Type: republic within Commonwealth

Capital: Nairobi

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North-Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK; formerly British East Africa)

Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979 and 1983

Legal system: based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment in 1982 made Kenya a de jure one-party state

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Branches: president and Cabinet responsible to unicameral legislature (National Assembly) of 200 seats, 188 directly elected by constituencies and 12 appointed by the president; high court, with chief justice and at least 11 justices, has unlimited original jurisdiction to hear and determine any civil or criminal proceeding; provision for system of courts of appeal

Leader: @m5Chief of State and Head of Government--President Daniel Teroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); Vice President Dr. Josephat KARANJA (since 24 March 1988)

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: National Assembly at least every five years; present National Assembly and President elected 21 March 1988

Political party and leader: Kenya African National Union (KANU), Kenya's sole legal political party, Daniel T. arap Moi, President

Voting strength: KANU holds all seats in the National Assembly

Communists: may be a few Communists and sympathizers

Other political or pressure groups: labor unions; exile opposition--Mwakenya and other groups

Member of: AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, UN, UNDP, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Denis Daudi AFANDE; Chancery at 2249 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-6101; there are Kenyan Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York; US--Ambassador Elinor G. CONSTABLE; Embassy at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi (mailing address is P. O. Box 30137, Nairobi or APO New York 09675); telephone Õ254å (2) 334141; there is a US Consulate in Mombasa

Flag: 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

NOTE: The information regarding Kenya on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Kenya Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Kenya Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.