The president, Mwai Kibaki, seeks a second term in the December election, as head of a new coalition, the Party of National Unity (PNU). His main challenge will come from Raila Odinga and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Mr Odinga is currently ahead in the opinion polls but the outcome is hard to predict. An ODM victory could delay the implementation of key economic reforms, although the Economist Intelligence Unit does not think that there will be any major policy shifts, and policy will continue to be guided by an IMF-style policy framework. Real GDP growth is forecast to remain robust, but to dip to 5.6% in 2008 and 5.4% in 2009 as a result of infrastructure bottlenecks. |
 |
 |
| Key Reports Available for Kenya |
|
 |
| Land area | | 569,259 sq km | | Population | | 28.7m (1999 national census), 38.6m (2008 UNPOP estimate) | | Main towns | | Population in '000, 1999 census | | Nairobi (capital): 1,346 | | Mombasa: 465 | | Kisumu: 185 | | Nakuru: 163 | | Climate | | Tropical | | Weather in Nairobi (altitude 1,820 metres) | | Hottest month, February, 13-28°C; coldest month, July, 11-23°C; driest month, August, 24 mm average rainfall; wettest month, April, 266 mm average rainfall | | Languages | | English, Kiswahili and more than 40 local ethnic languages | | Religion | | Christian (80%), Muslim (10%), other (10%) | | Measures | | Metric system | | Currency | | Kenya shilling (KSh)=100 cents. KSh20=1 Kenya pound (K£). Average exchange rate in 2007: KSh67.3:US$1. Exchange rate on 22ndOctober 2008: KSh76.5:US$1 | | Fiscal year | | July 1st-June 30th | | Time | | 3 hours ahead of GMT | | Public holidays | | January 1st; Good Friday; Easter Monday; May 1st; June 1st; Eid ul Fitr; Christmas holiday, December 25th-26th |
|