“Umoja Ni Nguvu”

Stephen N. KINUTHIA
Chairman & Team Leader
KibakiTenaLobbyGroup- EU

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About Kenya
Click here for Interminable lible :
WACHA!... KAZI IENDELEE!......

THE GOVERNMENT

::: GENERAL

The unicameral National Assembly consists of 210 members elected to a term of 5 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 assembly. The attorney general and the speaker are ex-officio members of the National 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, all appointed by the president.

Local administration is divided among 69 rural districts, each headed by a commissioner appointed by the president. The government has proposed 37 more districts, but these are not yet ratified by Parliament. The districts are joined to form seven rural provinces. Nairobi has special provincial status. The Ministry of State in charge of Provincial Administration and Internal Security supervises the administration of districts and provinces.

Political evolution

Kenya has a democratic government with political pluralism. In June 1963, Kenya attained internal self-government. On 12 December of the same year, independence was achieved with a complex Majimbo(federal) constitution, which conceded much autonomy to the regions. On the first anniversary of independence in 1964, Kenya became a Republic with Mzee Jomo Kenyatta as the President. Following his death on 22 August 1978, Vice-President Daniel arap Moi assumed the presidency in accordance with the Kenyan Constitution. In 2002, President Moi and the KANU party lost in a democratic election to President Mwai Kibaki and NARC (The National Rainbow Coalition). The President is the Head of State and Government. The Constitution is the supreme law of the State. It establishes and determines the composition, powers and duties of the main organs of government, namely the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

http://www.statehousekenya.go.ke

:::THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

[ The Cabinet : Click here for the full list of the Cabinet for the Republic of Kenya. (05/07/04)]

The Executive

The President is the Head of State and Government and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. He is directly elected for a 5-year term limited to two terms. He appoints the Cabinet from among members of the National Assembly. The Cabinet initiates and determines national policies.

The Legislature Parliament

It is the supreme law-making body. The National Assembly has 210 elected members, each representing a constituency, twelve nominated members and two ex-officio members, namely the Speaker who is elected by the National Assembly to preside over its sessions and the Attorney General, appointed by the President. The President is a member of the National Assembly. The National Assembly plus the President are collectively known as the Parliament.

::: ELECTORAL COMMISSION

The Electoral Commission is established by the Constitution. The Commission, whose members enjoy security of tenure, appointed by the President and is responsible for:

   * Registration of voters and maintenance and revision of the register of voters.
   * Directing and supervising the Presidential, National Assembly and local government             elections.
   * Promoting voter education throughout Kenya and
   * such other functions as may be prescribed by the law.

::: THE JUDICIARY

This is the body responsible for determining disputes and interpreting statutes. It is independent of both the Executive and the Legislature. The Constitution provides for the Legislative establishment of the High Court as a superior court of record having unlimited original jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters and the Court of Appeal as a superior court of record having jurisdiction and powers in relation to appeals from the High Court or as may be conferred on it by law. It also provides for the appointment of the Chief Justice, and judges of the Court of Appeal and the High Court Judges. The Constitution also establishes other courts subordinate to the High Court. The Judicial Service Commission is vested with the powers to exercise disciplinary control, over and recommend removal of judicial officers.