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KEY FACTS Joined Commonwealth: 1963 Population: 44,354,000 (2013) GDP p.c. growth: 0.6% p.a. 1990–2013 UN HDI 2014: World ranking 147 Official languages: Kiswahili, English Time: GMT plus 3 hrs Currency: Kenyan shilling (KSh) Geography Area: 582,646 sq km Coastline: 536 km Capital: Nairobi Kenya lies astride the equator, extending from the Indian Ocean in the east to Uganda in the west, and from the United Republic of Tanzania in the south to Ethiopia and South Sudan in the north. In the east and north-east it borders Somalia. The country is divided into eight provinces: Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi, North-Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western. Constitution Status: Republic with executive President Legislature: Parliament of Kenya Independence: 12 December 1963 The constitution in force until August 2010 had been amended many times since the republic was formed in December 1964. It provided for the unicameral National Assembly consisting of 210 members directly elected every five years and 12 non-constituency members appointed by the President, plus the Speaker and Attorney-General. The multiparty system was introduced in December 1991. The President – directly elected and limited to two five-year terms – is head of state, head of the cabinet and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and appoints the Vice-President and cabinet. However, under the internationally-brokered power-sharing agreement, a grand coalition government, comprising the President and the new post of Prime Minister, was established in March 2008. A commission was set up in 2000 to draw up a new constitution, which – following a constitutional court ruling in March 2004 – would be subject to a national referendum. Draft constitutions were discussed at a series of constitutional conferences. The new constitution that was approved by the National Assembly in April 2010, endorsed by the electorate in the national referendum on 4 August 2010 and promulgated on 27 August 2010 provides for the reduction of the President’s power; the abolition of the post of Commonwealth Governance 178 Handbook 2014/15 Prime Minister (after the March 2013 election); an expansion of the National Assembly (to 350 seats); the creation of a Senate with 68 members; a significant devolution of power to new county authorities (to be overseen by the Senate); the recognition of faith courts; a bill of rights; and the creation of a supreme court, a new anti-corruption agency and an independent land commission to promote land reform. These new provisions were to be implemented in a timetable spanning up to five years, with most coming into force after the elections of March 2013. The implementation process is being overseen by two bodies: the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution and the Commission on Revenue Allocation. Judicial system Supreme court: Supreme Court of Kenya Ministry: Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs The new constitution promulgated on 27 August 2010 provided for an independent judiciary and a supreme court. The chief justice is the president of the Supreme Court, which comprises the chief justice, deputy chief justice and five other judges. It has sole jurisdiction over cases concerning presidential elections and it is the final court of appeal. The chief justice is the head of the judiciary Kenya


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