Kenya gained independence in 1963 and became a republic in 1964. However, this is a list of all the presidents who have served Kenya since the country gained independence, which Includes their terms, and political party:
| President | Term | Political Party |
|---|---|---|
| Jomo Kenyatta | 1964 - 1978 | KANU |
| Daniel arap Moi | 1978 - 2002 | KANU |
| Mwai Kibaki | 2002 - 2013 | NARC (until 2007), PNU (2007-2013) |
| Uhuru Kenyatta | 2013 - 2022 | TNA (until Sept. 2016), Jubilee |
| William Ruto | 2022 - Present | UDA |
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Who Was The First President Of Kenya After Kenya Gained Its Independence From Great Britain?
Jomo Kenyatta was the first president of Kenya after the country gained independence from Great Britain in 1963. Kenyatta was the country’s first prime minister before he became the president, and he served as prime minister from June 1963 to December 1964.
During this time, Kenya changed from being a constitutional monarchy, where the British queen was the head of state, to a republic with Kenyatta as the executive president. Kenyatta was born around 1893.
He became an important leader in the fight for Kenya’s independence in the 1940s and 1950s, leading the African militant group called the Mau Mau, which fought to free Kenya from British rule.
Because of his involvement, Kenyatta was sentenced to seven years of hard labor. However, after his release, he became even more popular and determined to achieve independence for Kenya.
After World War II, the British Empire started to shrink and face financial problems. As a result, Britain planned to leave its colonies, including Kenya.
In the 1963 general election, Kenyatta’s party, the Kenya African National Union (KANU), won. Kenyatta was then sworn in as Kenya’s first prime minister.
On December 12, 1963, Prince Philip officially handed over control of the country to Kenyatta at a special independence ceremony. Kenyatta served as president until his death on August 22, 1978.
And he will forever be remembered as the founding father of independent Kenya and a hero who helped create the nation. He also laid the foundation for Pan-Africanism and made Kenya the largest economy in East Africa.
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Who Takes Over If The President Dies In Kenya?
In Kenya, the rules for what happens if the President dies are written in the Constitution. If the President dies, the Deputy President takes over.
This is to make sure that there is no gap in leadership and that the country keeps running smoothly. The process starts with the Deputy President becoming the new President. There is no need for an interim leader or any delays.
The Constitution, specifically Article 146, says that the Deputy President must take over if the President dies. If, for some reason, the Deputy President cannot take over, maybe because they are also unable to serve the Speaker of the National Assembly steps in as the acting President.
In this case, a new presidential election must be held within sixty days to choose a new President. The person who takes over as President, whether it is the Deputy President or the Speaker of the National Assembly, will serve until the next scheduled election.
Elections in Kenya are held every five years. If the Deputy President takes over and there are more than two and a half years left until the next election, they are considered to have served a full term.
Kenya has seen this process in action before. In 1978, when President Jomo Kenyatta died, Vice President Daniel Arap Moi became the President.
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Who Is The Current President Of Kenya?
The current President of Kenya is William Kipchirchir Samoei Ruto, having taken office on September 13, 2022. Ruto was elected in the presidential election held on August 9, 2022.
He was the candidate for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which is part of the larger Kenya Kwanza Alliance. William Ruto succeeded Uhuru Kenyatta, who was Kenya’s fourth president and served from 2013 to 2022.
However, William Ruto was born on December 21, 1966, in Sambut, which is in Uasin Gishu County. He went to both primary and secondary schools in the Rift Valley region.
For his higher education, he studied at the University of Nairobi, where he earned a degree in Botany and Zoology. Later, he completed a Master of Science in Plant Ecology and also got a PhD in Plant Ecology from the same university.
Ruto is married to Rachel Chebet Ruto, and together they have seven children. Ruto’s political career started in 1997 when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Eldoret North.
He served in this role for three terms, which lasted until 2013. During his career, he held several important positions. He was the Deputy President of Kenya from 2013 to 2022, working alongside President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In this role, he was involved in many government projects and policies. In addition to being Deputy President, Ruto also served as the Minister for Agriculture and later as the Minister of Higher Education.