Political Leaders: Kenya

Leaders of Kenya
(Republic of Kenya)

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Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website.

Note: From the accession to independence (12 Dec 1963) to the adoption of the Republic (12 Oct 1964) the head of State was the Brirish monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a Governor-General.

Parties: DP: Democratic Party (part of NARC) - FORD-Kenya: Forum for the Restoration of Democracy–Kenya (part of NARC) - Jubilee: Jubilee Party of Kenya (2016 merger of TNA and 10 other parties) - KANU: Kenya African National Union - KK: Kenya First (Kenya Kwanza, coalition) - NARC: National Rainbow Coalition - ODM: Orange Democratic Movement - ODM-Kenya: Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya (split of ODM) - PNU: Party of National Unity - TNA: The National Alliance - UDA: United Democratic Alliance (part of KK) - UDFP: United Democratic Forum Party - URP: United Republican Party - WDM-K: Wiper Democratic Movement–Kenya (formerly, ODM-Kenya)

Heads of State

Governor-General
Malcolm John MacDonald    12 Dec 1963 - 12 Dec 1964 (†1981)             

Presidents of the Republic
Jomo Kenyatta             12 Dec 1964 - 22 Aug 1978 (†1978) KANU
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi 22 Aug 1978 - 30 Dec 2002 (†2020) KANU (acting to 14 Oct 1978) 
Mwai Kibaki               30 Dec 2002 -  9 Apr 2013 (†2022) DP/NARC, PNU 
Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta      9 Apr 2013 - 13 Sep 2022         TNA, Jubilee
William Samoei arap Ruto  13 Sep 2022 -                     UDA/KK

Vice Presidents

Vice Presidents  
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga    12 Dec 1964 – 14 Apr 1966 (†1994) KANU
Joseph Zuzarte Murumbi     3 May 1966 - 31 Aug 1966 (†1990) KANU
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi  5 Jan 1967 – 22 Aug 1978 (†2020) KANU
Mwai Kibaki               14 Oct 1978 - 24 Mar 1988 (†2022) KANU
Josephat Njuguna Karanja  24 Mar 1988 -  1 May 1989 (†1994) KANU
George Kinuthia Saitoti    1 May 1989 -  8 Jan 1998 (†2012) KANU
       * vacant *          8 Jan 1998 -  3 Apr 1999         
George Kinuthia Saitoti    3 Apr 1999 - 30 Aug 2002 (†2012) KANU
Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi  4 Nov 2002 -  3 Jan 2003 	    KANU
Michael Kijana Wamalwa     3 Jan 2003 - 23 Aug 2003 (†2003) FORD-Kenya/NARC
Arthur Moody Awori        25 Sep 2003 –  9 Jan 2008	    NARC
Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka	   9 Jan 2008 -  9 Apr 2013         ODM-Kenya, WDM-K

Deputy Presidents
William Samoei arap Ruto   9 Apr 2013 - 13 Sep 2022         URP, UDA
Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua 13 Sep 2022 -                     UDA

Prime Ministers

Jomo Kenyatta              1 Jun 1963 - 12 Dec 1964 (†1978) KANU
Raila Amolo Odinga        17 Apr 2008 -  9 Apr 2013         ODM

Deputy Prime Ministers

Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi 17 Apr 2008 -  9 Apr 2013         ODM, UDFP
Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta     17 Apr 2008 -  9 Apr 2013         KANU

Chairmen of KANU

James Samuel Gichuru        1960-1961 (†1982) (acting)
Jomo Kenyatta               1961-1978 (†1978)
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi   1978-2005 (†2020)
Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta       2005-2012
Gideon Kipsielei Towett Moi 2012-

The KANU was founded on 14 May 1960 from the merger of Jomo Kenyatta's Kenya African Union (KAU), the Kenya Independent Movement (KIM) and Tom Mboya's People's Congress Party (PCP). In 1964 the party absorbed the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU)..

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