A republic and member of the Commonwealth, Kenya is in eastern Africa, on the Indian Ocean. Area: 582,646 sq km (224,961 sq mi), including 11,230 sq km of inland water. Pop. (1993 est.): 28,113,000. Cap.: Nairobi. Monetary unit: Kenya shilling, with (Oct. 4, 1993) a free rate of 68.75 shillings to U.S. $1 (104.15 shillings = £1 sterling). President in 1993, Daniel arap Moi.
No sooner did the results of the Kenyan presidential and legislative elections, held on Dec. 29, 1992--the first multiparty balloting in 26 years--begin to emerge than opposition groups launched an attack on the conduct of the elections. The report of a Commonwealth observer team acknowledged that there had been irregularities favouring Pres. Daniel arap Moi and his Kenya African National Union (KANU) party but concluded that the overall result largely reflected the views of the electorate. The results made it clear that although a considerable majority voted against Moi, his victory was due not to fraud but to the opposition’s having nominated three candidates to challenge him.
Having thus met one condition for the resumption of international financial aid--multiparty elections--Moi then addressed the second requirement. On February 12 the government agreed to drastic economic reforms, including the devaluation of the currency by 25%. When, however, a month later the government called upon its foreign creditors to resume payment of their monthly £ 27 million aid package, the request was turned down. Moi responded by scrapping the reform program on the grounds that it had already caused widespread hardship in the country. On the heels of devaluation, inflation had soared to 50%, and many businesses were threatened with bankruptcy or large-scale layoffs. Under pressure from donor countries, the International Monetary Fund reacted cautiously, while the same countries suggested that the UN or some other international agency try to persuade Moi to reconsider his decision.
Japan, meanwhile, had signed an agreement worth 86 million shillings, the bulk of which would be used to increase food production and finance the purchase of fertilizers. Later Japan provided 23 million shillings to improve transport, education, and communications. In April the government closed the private Trade Bank, which had experienced recurring liquidity problems. At the beginning of May, a national strike calling for the release of detained union leaders led to rioting in Nairobi.
Later in the month, in response to an offer of £ 57 million from the World Bank and an agreement with the IMF, the government announced a new set of economic reforms, including another devaluation of the currency and the lifting of import restrictions. In July, Finance Minister Musalia Mudavadi assured foreign donors that his country was committed to servicing its debt even though doing so took 30% of the GDP. A month later, against a background of financial scandals and following the resignation of the governor of the central bank, Mudavadi announced that there would be an inquiry into the operations of that bank and other financial institutions. Additional aid grants were announced by Germany and Japan in October, and the government announced that the shilling would be allowed to float against world currencies.
Sporadic fighting continued in the western highland districts. The opposition claimed that Kalenjin warriors, men of Moi’s own ethnic group, covertly encouraged by the government, were attacking Kikuyus and other groups. Raids continued through the autumn, with as many as 2,000 dead. In November, following a series of counterattacks, five Kikuyu leaders were arrested, further evidence, some charged, of a government-supported policy of "ethnic cleansing."
This updates the article Kenya, history of.