Updated August 29, 2018
Kenya
Successive U.S. Administrations have viewed Kenya as a
Figure 1. Kenya Facts
strategic partner and key regional actor in East Africa, and
as critical to counterterrorism efforts in the region. The
United States has valued Kenya’s role as a peacemaker
among its neighbors and as a historic host to refugees from
across the troubled region. Kenya is sub-Saharan Africa’s
fifth largest economy, a regional hub for transportation and
finance, and a top tourism destination. Its capital, Nairobi,
is home to one of four major United Nations offices
worldwide and serves as a base for regional humanitarian
efforts. It also hosts the largest U.S. diplomatic mission in
Africa. Kenya ranks among the top U.S. foreign aid
recipients globally and is one of the largest African
Source: Data from CIA World Factbook, IMF (2017).
recipients of U.S. counterterrorism assistance.
Kenya is home to more than 50 ethnic groups; no one group
Kenya’s reputation as an anchor state in a volatile region
constitutes a majority. The largest group, the Kikuyu, which
has been periodically threatened by electoral violence and
represents roughly 20% of the population, has been
ethnic tensions. Flawed election processes since 2007 have
perceived historically as dominating the political class and
undermined public trust and strained the government’s
business community. Under President Jomo Kenyatta, a
relations with some communities. Disputed elections in
Kikuyu, the group was seen to benefit disproportionately
2017 were marred by violence and allegations of rigging
from the allocation of state resources, namely land and
and police brutality, and subsequent government actions
government jobs and contracts. When Moi, Kenyatta’s vice
prompted questions about Kenya’s democratic trajectory.
president, assumed office after Kenyatta’s death in 1978,
many of these benefits shifted to his people, a smaller group
Economic frustration and abuses of power have also fueled
of ethnicities collectively referred to as the Kalenjin.
grievances among the diverse population. Perceived
impunity from justice has been a trigger for violence, and
For almost 40 years, the heartlands of these communities—
corruption has been a hindrance to greater economic
the central highlands for the Kikuyu and the central Rift
development. Accountability shortfalls have also been a
Valley for the Kalenjin—received the greatest state
source of tension with donors, including the United States.
investment in schools, roads, and health services. Other
areas were marginalized and remain comparatively
The Somali insurgent group Al Shabaab, a regional Al
underdeveloped, such as the predominately Muslim
Qaeda-affiliate, is active in eastern Kenya, near the Somali
northeastern and coastal areas, and western Kenya, which is
border. In 2015, Al Shabaab killed 148 people in an attack
home to the second and third largest ethnic groups, the
on a college in the northeast—it was the deadliest terrorist
Luhya and Luo. Some Kenyans refer to the dynamic of
attack in Kenya since Al Qaeda’s 1998 bombing of the U.S.
ethnic favoritism, which reinforced a focus on “tribe,” with
embassy. The group has portrayed its attacks, in part, as
such colloquial phrases as “It’s our turn to eat.”
retaliation for Kenya’s role in regional military operations
in Somalia, and has sought recruits from Kenya’s minority
No ethnic group constitutes a large enough voting block for
Muslim population. The government has struggled to
its political leaders to gain or maintain power alone; they
balance its response to perceived security threats against
must form alliances, which periodically shift. Many of
pressure to respect human rights and civil liberties.
today’s politicians have moved in and out of government
and opposition since the Moi era. Realignments prior to the
Background
December 2007 elections created a volatile ethnic dynamic,
Kenya was essentially a one-party state from 1964 to 1991.
and when incumbent President Mwai Kibaki (a Kikuyu)
Long-serving President Daniel arap Moi retained his party’s
was declared the winner of an extremely close presidential
dominance, in part through electoral manipulation and
race amid charges of rigging, opposition protests turned
repression, until he retired under donor pressure in 2002.
violent. The violence largely followed ethnic lines in urban
The elections that year were hailed as marking a shift in
areas and parts of the country where Kikuyu had settled
Kenya’s democratic trajectory. For the first time, the
after independence. The Rift Valley saw some of the worst
country’s fractious and primarily ethnically based
violence, between the Kikuyu and the Kalenjin, who had
opposition parties came together to defeat Moi’s chosen
supported opposition candidate Raila Odinga, a Luo. Police
successor, Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Kenya’s first president,
were implicated in hundreds of deaths. In six weeks, some
Jomo Kenyatta. That coalition slowly unraveled, however,
1,300 people were killed and 600,000 were displaced.
and by 2007 a political storm fueled by ethnic grievances
Kenya was paralyzed for months before Kibaki and Odinga
was brewing as the next elections approached.
reached a power-sharing deal, mediated by Kofi Annan, and
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Kenya
formed coalition government, with Odinga in a new prime
orders threatened the rule of law. In March, Kenyatta and
minister position. They agreed to draft a new constitution.
Odinga announced a deal to end the stalemate. Their
An international commission on the post-election violence
rapprochement eased tensions, but aspects of the agreement
attributed the crisis to the political manipulation of
remain unclear. A new anticorruption drive, among other
perceived ethnic marginalization and a culture of impunity,
developments, has fueled speculation that Kenyatta may not
among other factors. When Kenya’s legislature declined to
support Ruto’s prospective run for the presidency in 2022.
establish a tribunal to prosecute the worst crimes, the
Somali Refugees
commission gave a list of key suspects to Annan, who
presented them to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Kenya has long served as a host to refugees from the
troubled region, most notably Somalia. In 2016, citing
The ICC and the 2013 Elections
security concerns, the government announced it would no
In 2012, the Court confirmed charges against four people,
longer host refugees. (Officials later clarified that the aim
including then-deputy Prime Minister Kenyatta and leading
was to close Dadaab, the largest camp.) U.S. officials and
Kalenjin politician William Ruto. The government objected
others expressed deep concern, noting longstanding aid to
to the cases, despite being an ICC state party. The cases
support Kenya’s refugee-hosting role. Kenya’s High Court
were a key issue in the 2013 elections, when Kenyatta and
blocked the closure in 2017, describing it as discriminatory
Ruto, rivals in 2007, ran successfully together on a new
and unconstitutional because it specifically targeted Somali
Jubilee Coalition presidential ticket. They portrayed the
refugees. Kenya hosts over 470,000 refugees, including
ICC cases as an international conspiracy against Kenya and
over 250,000 Somalis and over 100,000 South Sudanese.
emblematic of racial bias by the court. Voting largely
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followed ethnic lines, but the combination of Kikuyu and
Kalenjin on the ticket reduced the prospects for violence.
President Kenyatta has pursued an ambitious economic
growth agenda, and his government has taken significant
The ICC trials were plagued by alleged witness intimidation
steps to attract foreign investment, including from China,
and political interference. The Court ultimately withdrew
which is financing several major infrastructure projects.
the charges against Kenyatta and Ruto, citing insufficient
The IMF has cautioned Kenya, however, to contain its
evidence. Neither was acquitted, leaving the possibility of
rising debt, of which China holds a growing share.
new charges, but allowing the pair to run for reelection.
Agriculture, manufacturing, and real estate are the primary
The 2017 Elections
drivers of growth, but Kenya also has a vibrant telecom
industry that is a global pioneer in mobile banking
The 2013 elections heralded major changes in Kenya’s
technology. Development challenges persist: Kenya has
political system. They were the first held under a new 2010
made limited progress in reducing high rates of extreme
constitution, which set new checks and balances and a more
poverty, food insecurity, and maternal mortality.
deliberate separation of powers, including the devolution of
authority to 47 new county governments. The constitution
U.S. Policy and Assistance
created a Supreme Court, an upper house in parliament, a
President Trump received President Kenyatta at the White
new anti-corruption authority, and a land commission.
House in August 2018, and the two leaders resolved to
Elections in 2017 were a major test for Kenya’s political
elevate the relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
institutions. Amid a polarized political landscape, a series
Counterterrorism (CT) cooperation was a focus of bilateral
of scandals rocked the electoral commission. Prior to the
discussions, as was economic cooperation: nearly $900
August elections, the opposition, civil society, and election
million in commercial announcements were made during
monitors raised concerns about the voter register, ballot
the visit. Direct flights to and from Kenya, previously
procurement, results transmission, and the murder of a top
blocked over security concerns, are set to start in late 2018.
election official. Election monitors gave positive reviews of
Despite close ties, governance and human rights concerns
the voting and counting processes, but problems arose in
have complicated the U.S.-Kenya relationship and have
the transmission and tallying of results. When Kenyatta was
been a focus for congressional action, most recently S.Res.
declared the winner by 54.7% to opposition leader Odinga’s
616. Allegations that Kenyan security forces have
44.9%, the opposition cried foul and challenged the result.
committed serious abuses in the context of anti-terrorism
The Supreme Court declared the presidential result null and
efforts strain the government’s relationship with its Muslim
void in a landmark ruling, finding that the election had not
minority and pose challenges for U.S. CT cooperation.
been conducted in accordance with the law, and ordered a
Kenya is among the top recipients of U.S. foreign aid
fresh election. The Court faced threats from senior officials.
globally, receiving over $800 million annually in recent
Odinga deemed reforms insufficient, boycotting the re-run.
years. The Trump Administration’s FY2019 request of
Turnout fell, 77.5% to 38.8%, and Kenyatta won by 98%.
$625 million for Kenya (not including food aid) was the
The opposition continued to contest Kenyatta’s legitimacy
largest request for sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya is routinely
into early 2018, holding a mock inauguration event and
the top sub-Saharan recipient of anti-terrorism assistance
declaring Odinga “the people’s president.” The government
for law enforcement. The Department of Defense has
termed the event “treasonous” and shut down Kenya’s
notified Congress of roughly $400 million in CT “train and
largest private TV stations for days to limit coverage.
equip” support for Kenya in the past decade.
Several opposition figures were arrested; one was deported.
Lauren Ploch Blanchard, Specialist in African Affairs
In the weeks following, Kenya’s current and former chief
justices, as well as two former U.S. ambassadors, warned
IF10168
that the government’s disregard for several related court
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Kenya
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