Government of Kenya

Kenya lies across the equator in east-central Africa, on the coast of the Indian Ocean. A former British colony, Kenya gained independence in 1963. Jomo Kenyatta, a nationalist leader during the independence struggle, was Kenya’s first president. From 1964 to 1992, the country was ruled as a one-party state by the Kenya African National Union (KANU), first under Kenyatta and then under Daniel arap Moi. Multiparty elections were only introduced in 1992.

The economy did not flourish under President Moi's rule. In the 1990s, Kenya's infrastructure began disintegrating and graft was rampant, contributing to the withdrawal of much foreign aid. The Kenyan economy has performed strongly since Mwai Kibaki’s election as President of Kenya in December 2002.

Today Kenya has a thriving tourism sector and a very strong horticultural industry. You’ll be familiar with Kenyan coffee and tea, but did you know that Kenya is one of the largest suppliers of cut flowers to Europe?