Kenya: Current Status
Alexa Winestock
5/5/09
Period 4
Mr. Hjelmgren
Current Kenya
Kenya has been around since Dec. 12, 1963 when it gained its full independence. Kenya’s government is a republic and indirect democracy. They have a judiciary, legislative, and executive branch, just like the United States. Their current president, Mwai Kibaki, has a 5-year term and was voted by the 8 provinces in Kenya. “The presidential election caused many conflicts between the Lou and Kikuyu tribes because many people thought the voting was rigged. Raila Odinga was winning the preliminary by 18% and had many votes of the poor people. Kibaki ended up winning and to come to an agreement both parties were evenly split in the government and Odinga was made Prime Minister of Kenya.” ( Kenya: History, Geography, Government, and Culture-Infoplease.com, 1) Kenya is free to practice their religion according to their constitution. About 90% of Kenya’s Christian and about 10% is Muslim. There are a small percentage of the other religions, just like the United States.
Three-fourths of their economy is based on agriculture. The rest is service industry like trade and tourism. Thousands are welcomed each year to tour Kenya. You can go on bike rides, go on a safari and visit places such as Mombasa and Amboseli National Park. On a safari you can choose to either tour the country or the wildlife in nature. Tourism actually helps Kenya’s revenue more than coffee and tea. They earn about $340 million with over 70.000 tourists a year.
Kenya does take part in the UN and is one of America’s allies. “Although the United States is an ally of Kenya, they want to break it due to alleged human rights violations.” All of the bordering countries of Kenya are mutual but at any moment could attack it. For example, Uganda has troops surrounding Kenya ready to attack. Kenya also faces inner fear of civil war because the ethnic groups are bitter rivals. Kenya is currently at peace with many people but that could quickly change.
Works Cited
“Background Note: Kenya.” Kenya (03/09). Mar. 2009. U.S. Department of State. 2 May 2009 <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2962.htm#foreign>.
This website gave me information on Kenya’s economy, it’s relations with the countries around it, what happened in the recent election for president, their government structure, and its religions.
Johns, Michael. “Strengthening U.S. Ties with Kenya.” Strengthening U.S. Ties with Kenya. 24 Apr. 1990. The Heritage Foundation; Leadership for America. 2 May 2009 <http://www.heritage.org/research/africa/bg766.cfm>.
This website helped me learn about the U.S. and their relationship with Kenya.
"Kenya." Africa: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. John Middleton. Vol. 2. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons, 2002. 178-184. 4 vols. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. NEW TRIER HIGH SCHOOL - District 203. 29 Apr. 2009 <http://find.galegroup.com/gvrl/infomark.do?&contentSet=EBKS&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=GVRL&docId=CX3400100207&source=gale&userGroupName=winn16583&version=1.0>.
This encyclopedia gave me information on the government and the economy.
“Kenya.” Kenya: History, Geography, Government, and Culture-Infoplease.com. 2008. Pearson Education. 2 May 2009 <http://www.heritage.org/research/africa/bg766.cfm>.
This website gave me information on the dispute between the tribes and parties in the last election in Kenya.
Solberg-Ayers, Shari. "Kenya: People." World Geography. 2009. ABC-CLIO. 28 Apr. 2009
<http://www.worldgeography.abc-clio.com>.
This website gave me more information on the economy and how everything was run in Kenya.
“United Nations-Kenya.” United Nations Kenya. 2007. 30 Apr. 2009
<http://www.un-kenya.org/defaultp.asp>.
This site gave my information on how Kenya is a part of the UN.
Last Updated By Alexa Winestock on May 22, 2009
