Kenya

Background

Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when current President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. The country faces a period of political uncertainty because MOI is constitutionally required to step down at the next election that has to be held by early 2003.

Kenya, the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, is hampered by corruption and reliance upon several primary goods whose prices continue to decline. Following strong economic growth in 1995 and 1996, Kenya's economy has stagnated, with GDP growth failing to keep up with the rate of population growth. In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems, causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output. As a result, GDP contracted by 0.3% in 2000. The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1%, and Kenya is unlikely to see growth above 2% in 2002. Substantial IMF and other foreign support is essential to prevent a further decline in real per capita output.

Holidays

Ps: Holidays falling on a Sunday are observed the following Monday. Muslim festivals(*) are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. Besides, the Festivals' date(~) are subject to change in every new year.

Phone Codes

Country Code: 254
Outgoing International Code: 000
Main Area Codes:
Nairobi 2
Mombasa 11
Nakuru 37

Resources

Market Research

CIA - The World Factbook - Republic of Kenya
This website indicates a wide range of detail information about Kenya by introducing under 8 different fields as its geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, transnational issues.

About Kenya
There is available to find out Kenya's general outlook on the issues of its social and business profile, passport/visa, money, accommodation, government, duty free, health and so forth.

US Commercial Service Kenya: Business Counseling
US Business Counseling service offers one-on-one counseling sessions to investors who are planning business travel to Kenya in terms of informing about the market trends, Kenyan business practices & opportunity to get extensive networking in Kenya. For more information, please refer to our staff directory to contact the Commercial Specialist in your sector.

Lex Africa: Business Guide: Kenya
The African Law Firm Network examines Kenya in order to get comprehensive business outlook for the potential investors seeking business opportunities in Kenya.

Doing Business in Kenya
World Bank represents a snapshot of the business climate in Kenya by identifying specific regulations and policies that encourage or discourage investment, productivity, and growth related to Kenya.

Kenya Business
Mbendi serves as a directory providing an ultimate African Business Source for the potential investors seeking new business opportunities in Kenya including the list of industries for Kenya.

African Studies: Kenya
There is a wide range of research about Kenyan business & economic profile.

U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs - For Kenya
U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs creates a wide range of research named as Consular Information Sheet about Kenya in terms of analyzing its social, political, cultural & economic environments.

World Trade Organization(WTO) : Kenya
World Trade Organization(WTO) supplies the trade policy reviews of republic of Kenya in order to display the recent economic and business developments realized after introducing the economic improvement packages by WTO.

The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service - Republic of Kenya
Canadian Info-Export Service provides information about doing business in the Republic of Kenya within the business practices.

Trade Information

Trade and Economic Profile for Kenya
There is available a gateway to get comprehensive information about Kenyan commercial outlook as custom regulations, business association, ministries and so forth.

Embassy Listings For Kenya
There are listed the embassies of the republic of the Kenya including the embassies' contact information.

Kenya Government Ministries
It displays the structure of Kenyan government by looking at its political units, branches, ministries and organs in details.