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| Republic of Kenya Jamhuri ya Kenya | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Nairobi |
| Official languages | English Swahili |
| Dominant mode of production | Capitalism |
| Government | Unitary presidential bourgeois republic |
• President | William Ruto |
| Area | |
• Total | 580,367 km² |
| Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 54,985,698 |
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Eastern Africa bordered by Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
History
Colonization
The British Empire colonized Kenya and confiscated land from the native African population. In 1948, the British confined 250,000 Kenyans to 5,200 km² of land and gave 31,000 km² to British settlers. In 1952, Kenyans rebelled against the British in the Mau Mau uprising. British colonial forces killed 90,000 Africans and imprisoned 160,000 in concentration camps.[1]
Independence
Kenya became independent from the United Kingdom in 1963. Less than a month after independence, neocolonial leader Jomo Kenyatta requested support from British troops to put down the Shifta rebellion.[2] Daniel arap Moi ruled Kenya as a one-party state from 1978 to 1992 and in a one-party system from 1992 to 2002.[3]
21st Century
In 2010 Kenya sent troops into Somalia with US backing under the pretext of fighting Al-Shabaab, and committed numerous war crimes against the Somalian people. Between 2015 and 2021, Kenya carried out 71 airstrikes in the province of Gedo, and 38 other locations in the region of Jubbaland. Not a single Al-Shabaab member was killed in the attacks on Gedo but the attacks instead caused civilian deaths, displacement, and destruction of infrastructure. In return for taking part in their proxy war, the US sold Kenya $139 million worth of military equipment over three years.[4]
Politics
William Ruto is the current president of Kenya and leads the Kenya First coalition, which opposes nepotism and capitalists who inherited their wealth but has no problem with "self-made" capitalists. Social democrat Raila Odinga leads the Resolution for Unity coalition.[5]
Economy
Peasants and the rural petty bourgeoisie make up 39% of the Kenyan population, the proletariat makes up 34%, urban petty bourgeoisie makes up 23%, and the bourgeoisie makes up 4%. Most of the bourgeoisie (3.44% of the total population) works for the government.[6]
Demographics
Ethnicity
Kenya has 42 tribes, and the largest three make up 44.7% of its population. 20 tribes have more than 200,000 members, but there are also small tribes with only 10,000 people. 92% of the population is from Bantu and Nilotic ethnolinguistic groups, 7% are Cushitic (mainly Somali), and 1% are foreigners.[6]
| Ethnicity | Linguistic group | Population (2022) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kikuyu | Bantu | 8,140,000 | Central Highlands and Mount Kenya |
| Luhya | Bantu | 6,820,000 | Western Kenya |
| Kalenjin | Nilotic | 6,430,000 | Western Highlands and Rift Valley |
| Luo | Nilotic | 5,000,000 | Around Lake Victoria |
| Kamba | Bantu | 4,600,000 | Eastern and southeastern Kenya |
| Somali | Cushitic | 2,700,000 | Northern and northeastern Kenya |
| Kisii | Bantu | 2,700,000 | Western Kenya |
| Mijikenda | Bantu | 2,400,000 | Coastal area |
| Meru | Bantu | 1,900,000 | Northeastern Kenya |
| Maasai | Nilotic | 1,100,000 | South Rift Valley |
| Turkana | Nilotic | 1,100,000 | Northwestern Kenya |
| Other (indigenous) | Bantu, Cushitic, Nilotic | 3,900,000 | |
| Other (non-indigenous) | Indo-European, Semitic | 200,000 |
References
- ↑ Courtenay Barnett (2013-07-03). "Reparations: The Case For Settlement" Black Agenda Report. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
- ↑ Horace G. Campbell (2016-11-23). "Can Kenya lead the African Union?" Black Agenda Report. Archived from the original on 2022-01-06. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
- ↑ Henry Makori (2016-06-01). "Kenya Needs a People’s Revolution" Black Agenda Report. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
- ↑ Jamal Abdulahi (2023-07-12). "Kenya Committing Atrocities in Somalia with US Backing" Black Agenda Report. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
- ↑ Omwami Otieno (2022-09-20). "Ruto and Odinga Rotten to the Core: Revolutionary Alternative Needed in Kenya!" Socialist Revolution. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "The Basic National Conditions of Kenya" (2023-02). Itikadi. Archived from the original on 2023-03-31.