His Excellency Mr Uhuru Kenyatta
President of Kenya
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to explore our wonderful country, Kenya.
Our stunning scenery, warm people and long history of stability and peace have made us the premier destination for tourism in our region. We are also known for our extraordinary athletes and proud sporting tradition that has seen us dominate the Commonwealth Games, the Olympics and numerous international competitions.
Politically, we have taken the lead role in peace-keeping and reconciliation efforts in our often volatile region of East African, and continue to actively seek lasting solutions to the conflicts currently raging in several of our neighbouring countries. We have opened up the democratic space and one of the most democratic countries in Africa, and indeed the world.
Last year Kenya recorded unprecedented economic growth of 5.8% due in no small part to our hard-working, well educated and skilled work force. My government is determined to build on this achievement, and, as the largest, most vibrant economy in East Africa, we continue to attract investment from all over the world. I invite our sister Commonwealth nations to explore all the exciting investment options that Kenya has to offer.
Kenya is a proud member of the Commonwealth, and remains committed to its ideals and objectives.
To learn more about tourism, governance and investing in Kenya please visit: http://magicalkenya.com, www.statehousekenya.go.ke, www.communication.go.ke, www.kra.go.ke
The above message was provided by the previous President Mwai Kibaki.
Kenya in the Commonwealth
did you know?
- Kenya joined the Commonwealth in 1963
- Kenya gained its independence on the 12th December 1963
- Kenya has been involved in the Commonwealth Games since 1954, and has won over 162 medals
- Dr Ali Mazrui, eminent and controversial scholar, delivered the 10th Annual Commonwealth Lecture, on ‘The Power of Language and the Politics of Religion’, in 2007
- Kenya hosts the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and a national chapter of the Commonwealth Human Ecology Council
- Kenyans hold eight Commonwealth Games records and 11 world records
Senior international officers
- Charles Mbugua, Chair, Commonwealth Organisation for Social Work
- Reverend Dr Samuel Kobia, General Secretary, World Council of Churches 2004-08
- Erastus Mwencha, Secretary-General, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) 1998-2008
- Nzamba Kitonga, President, COMESA Court of Justice
Commonwealth meetings hosted
- 1985 First Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting, held in Nairobi on the eve of the Third World Conference on Women
- 1987 Tenth Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Nairobi
Commonwealth Projects
Strengthen Debt Management and Debt Markets (2007/08)
This Commonwealth project was part of a larger project funded by the World Bank under the Financial and Legal Sector Technical Assistance Credit (FLSTAC). The Kenyan Government was assisted with the implementation of the public debt management component of the project. The project continued the capacity building in debt management systems and provision of tools which begun in 2007.
Technical support in improvement of dairy farming in Kenya for Gacharage Self Help Group (2007/08)
The Commonwealth funded this project and provided technical assistance in transferring new management and dairy farming technologies to members of Gacharage Small Scale Farmers Self-Help Group (GSSFSHG). This increased their household incomes and reduced poverty.
Assistance on Mineral Policy and Legislation for Kenya (2005/06)
The Government of Kenya is being assisted by the Commonwealth Secretariat to promote and regulate investment in minerals exploration and mining. The drafts of a new law and national mining policy were completed in mid-2006 with the Secretariat’s assistance. Further support in introducing the law and preparing mining regulations was then provided.
Media Expert to Electoral Commission (2003)
A media expert, commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat, provided advice to the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) on the implementation of the Guidelines for Media Coverage. The expert also advised on the revision of agreements on media arrangements, provided assistance to the ECK in the organisation of activities relating to media relations and helped organise a conference on media guidelines and their implementation. A paper on ‘Media regulation, balance and election news coverage’ was prepared.
Competitiveness of the Pyrethrum-based Pesticides and Herbicides Sub-Sector (1997-2000)
EIDD worked in close collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture to carry out an in-depth diagnostic study of the pyrethrum-based pesticides and herbicides sub-sector. The global competitiveness of this sector was then assessed, leading to strategies being drawn up to make the sub-sector more competitive and attractive to investment.
