The politics of Kenya take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system in accordance with a new constitution passed in 2010.
The Kenya African National Union (KANU) is a Kenyan political party that ruled for nearly 40 years after Kenya's independence from British colonial rule in 1963 until its electoral loss in 2002. It was known as Kenya African Union (KAU) from 1944 but due to pressure from the colonial government, KAU changed its name to Kenya African Study Union (KASU) mainly because all political parties were banned in 1939 following the start of the Second World War. In 1946 KASU rebranded itself into KAU following the resignation of Harry Thuku as president due to internal differences between the moderates who wanted peaceful negotiations and the militants who wanted to use force, the latter forming the Aanake a forty, which later became the Mau Mau. His post was then occupied by James Gichuru, who stepped down for Jomo Kenyatta in 1947 as president of KAU. The KAU was banned by the colonial government from 1952 to 1960. It was re-established by James Gichuru in 1960 and renamed KANU on 14 May 1960 after a merger with Tom Mboya's Kenya Independence Movement.
Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022.
Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka is a Kenyan politician who was the tenth Vice-President of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. Musyoka served in the government under the late President Daniel arap Moi as the Secretary of Kenya African National Union party (1980-1988), Assistant Minister for Works (1986-1988), Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly (1988-1992), Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1993 until 1998, Minister of Education (1998-2001); and subsequently, under the late President Mwai Kibaki, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs again from 2003 to 2004, then Minister of the Environment from 2004 to 2005. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2007 presidential election, after which he was appointed vice-president by Kibaki in January 2008.
William Kipchirchir Samoei arap Ruto is a Kenyan politician who has served as the fifth president of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Prior to becoming president, he served as the first elected deputy president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Previously, holders of the position were referred to as Vice President and the officeholder was unelected and appointed by the President. He previously served in three cabinet portfolios as the Minister for Home Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and as Minister for Higher Education.
Raila Amolo Odinga is a Kenyan politician who was the prime minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Langata Constituency from 1992 to 2013 and has been the Leader of Opposition in Kenya since 2013. He is the leader of Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party.
Charity Kaluki Ngilu is a Kenyan politician and the second governor elected for Kitui County. She unsuccessfully vied to be President of the Republic of Kenya in 1997. She served as Minister for Health from 2003 until 2007 and Minister of Water and Irrigation from April 2008 to 2013. She also served as Cabinet Secretary for Land, Housing and Urban Development from 2013 until 2015.
Martha Wangari Karua is a Kenyan politician. She is a former long-standing member of parliament for Gichugu Constituency and an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She was Minister for Justice until resigning from that position in April 2009. She has consistently fought for the protection of women's rights and improvements to the democratic process.
Oburu Ng'ong'a Oginga is a Kenyan politician who is currently serving as senator for Siaya County, having been elected in the elections of August 2022. He is an immediate former member for the East African Legislative Assembly, based in Arusha Tanzania. He is the former assistant minister for finance in the 2008 Grand Coalition government and former Member of the Parliament, Kenya.
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is a political party that was founded in 1999 by politicians who were at the time considederd to be renegades from the then ruling party Kenya African National Union but was denied registration by the then head of state Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi and most of its then leaders went to other parties by the time of the 2002 general elections.
Margaret Nantongo Zziwa is a Ugandan politician and legislator. She served as the Speaker of the 3rd East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in Arusha, Tanzania. She was elected to serve in that capacity in June 2012. She was impeached and voted out of office on 17 December 2014, on the basis of misconduct and abuse of office, but was later awarded compensation for illegal removal.
Ida Betty Odinga is a Kenyan businesswoman, activist and educator. She is the wife of Raila Odinga, the former Prime Minister of Kenya, and the leader of National Super Alliance (NASA). In 2010, The Standard named Odinga, who was one of the first women to head a major Kenyan company, as one of the top most powerful women in Kenya in 2010.
Isaac Maigua Mwaura is the current Government Spokesman of Kenya, a former Senator and a former Cabinet Administrative Secretary (CAS) - Deputy Minister in the Office of Prime Cainet Secretary. Mwaura served as a Senator in Kenya's Senate under the Jubilee Party between 2017 and 2022 where he was nominated to represent Persons with Disabilities between 2017 and 2022. He was the third person to occupy that position under the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. He also served as member of Parliament in the National Assembly from 2013 to 2017 after being nominated by the Orange Democratic Movement Party to represents special Interest Groups. He was the first Member of the National Assembly (MP) and Senator in Kenya with Albinism. He is a member of the United Democratic Alliance Party (UDA) which is the ruling party under the Kenya Kwanza Administration of President William Samoei Ruto.
Rachel Chebet Ruto is a Kenyan educator currently serving as the First Lady of Kenya. She is the wife to William Ruto, the fifth and current President of Kenya
Irungu Kang'ata is a Kenyan politician. He is the governor of Muranga County. He also is the former senator of Murang'a County, and the former Senate of Kenya Majority Chief Whip, former member of parliament for Kiharu Constituency and a former Councillor for Central Ward in Murang'a town. He is a law graduate from the University of Nairobi and a principal in the firm Irungu Kangata & Co. Advocates located at Flamingo Towers 4th floor, Upperhill, Nairobi. He holds PhD (Law) University of Nairobi and teaches law at Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi.
Beatrice Elachi is a Kenyan politician who currently serves as the member of parliament for Dagoretti North constituency. Prior, she served as Speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly from 6 September 2017 until her resignation on 11 August 2020. As Speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly, she replaced Alex Ole Magelo, who did not contest his seat. Immediately prior to her election, she was the Majority Whip in the Kenya Senate.
Kennedy Musyoka Kalonzo is a Kenyan lawyer and politician, who is a member of the fourth East African Legislative Assembly (2017—2022), representing Kenya.
Aisha Jumwa Karisa Katana is a Kenyan politician currently serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Affirmative Action and Gender in Kenya. She previously served as a Member of Parliament representing Malindi Constituency in Kilifi County, Commissioner of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), the woman representative for Kilifi County from 2013 to 2017, and as Councillor for Takaungu Ward from 1997 to 2007. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Leadership and Management from International Leadership University and Executive Diploma in Governance from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Wanjiku Muhia is a Kenyan politician and Current Member of Parliament for Kipipiri Constituency, and The Chairperson of Regional Integration Committee; Served as Regional Member of Parliament in the 4th East African Legislative Assembly(EALA) (2018-2022); and the First Nyandarua County Women Representative (2013-2017).
James Mathenge Kanini is a Kenyan politician, popularly known as Kanini Kega. He was the former Member of Parliament for Kieni Constituency representing the Jubilee coalition.
