Activities by Country:
Print
This Page
E-mail This Page
|
QUICK FACTS: KENYA Size: 582,650 square kilometers Population: 36,913,721 Average annual income: $580 USD Life expectancy: 55 years Languages: English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages Religions: Protestant, 45 percent; Roman Catholic; indigenous beliefs; Muslim; others Ethnic groups: Kikuyu, 22 percent; Luhya; Luo; Kalenjin; Kamba; Kisii; Meru; other African; and non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) (Source: U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, World Factbook 2008; The World Bank 2006) |
Kenya
In 1994, with help from The Carter Center and its partners, Kenya was one of the first endemic countries to halt transmission of Guinea worm disease. Read about the Center's peace work in Kenya > Building Hope Until recently, Kenya was endemic to one of the world's oldest diseases. The Carter Center assisted the government of Kenya with the eradication of Guinea worm disease. The partnership forged for better health continued through the Center's observation of Kenya's historic 2002 election. Fighting Disease Eradicating Guinea Worm Disease Current Status: Transmission stopped, 1994 Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication: Pending From 1993 to 1994, Kenya's Ministry of Health conducted village-by-village searches for cases of Guinea worm disease in districts adjacent to its borders with Uganda and Sudan, areas thought to be at greatest risk for having endemic disease. A total of 53 cases of Guinea worm disease, most of them imported from Sudan, were found in Turkana and West Pokot districts of Kenya. To enhance case and outbreak searches, a reliable disease-reporting system was developed by the Ministry of Health with assistance from the World Health Organization. In 1995, Kenya reported only 23 cases of Guinea worm disease, but this time all cases were imported from Sudan, then the most endemic Guinea worm country in the world. It was documented that indigenous transmission of Guinea worm disease in Kenya was stopped when the West Pokot district reported no indigenous cases of the disease in 1994. This marked the occasion that allowed Kenya to become one of the first countries in the world to stop transmission of Guinea worm disease since the campaign began in 1986. The Carter Center held a special ceremony in Atlanta in 2000 to honor Kenya, Senegal, Cameroon, Yemen, Pakistan, India, and Chad as having reached a milestone in Guinea worm eradication efforts. These nations were the first among the 20 endemic countries to stop transmission of Guinea worm disease for at least one year since the campaign began. Of the seven honored countries, only five have been officially certified by the World Health Organization as free of Guinea worm disease: Pakistan, India, Senegal, Yemen, and Cameroon. Read more about the special ceremony. Countries that have reported zero cases for more than a year but neighbor Sudan, such as Kenya, Chad, and Central African Republic, have not received official certification. With improved surveillance and reduction in imported cases from Sudan, these countries, including Kenya, should be considered for certification sometime in the near future. Worldwide, 168 countries have been officially certified as Guinea-worm-free. Learn more about the Carter Center's Guinea Worm Eradication Program. Waging Peace Observing Elections Breaking a 34-year political hold by the ruling party in Kenya, a former ally of the longtime president won the presidency in a milestone election that The Carter Center observed to be open and competitive despite some irregularities. Mwai Kibaki, a former finance minister, was elected Dec. 27, 2002, to succeed President Daniel arap Moi, who was president for 24 years before Kenya's Constitution forbade him from running again. Although there were incidents of violence and political intimidation during the 2002 campaign season, the Dec. 27 election was conducted calmly. Thousands of enthusiastic voters formed long lines at polling centers. Carter Center observers, led by former Zambia President Kenneth Kaunda and then Carter Center Associate Executive Director Gordon Streeb, visited more than 200 polling stations in Nairobi and six provinces on election day. The Center praised Kenyan citizens for their peaceful participation and the Electoral Commission of Kenya for their determination during a new process. "The Electoral Commission of Kenya should be commended for its preparations and impartiality in conducting the elections," Streeb said. "Although there were inequitable media access for the opposition parties and a highly unequal distribution of voters among Kenya's constituencies, both of which contributed to an unequal playing field, the elections were well-managed and reflected the will of the Kenyan people." The Center commended the Electoral Commission of Kenya for enforcing the Electoral Code of Conduct by handing down judgments in several cases of bribery, attempted rigging, and violent rivalry among political parties. The Electoral Commission further ensured a fair election by openly tabulating ballots in the polling station and following strict procedures at the tally centers. Still, the Center noted some minor problems with the voting process. Although most of the voting began on time, approximately one-third of the polling stations opened late. Due to the new election process, the Electoral Commission of Kenya made several last-minute changes to election policy, which delayed registration and forced voters to endure long lines. The Center also noted that voter security was not fully protected, particularly in cases concerning disabled or illiterate voters. Election Reports Observing the 2002 Kenya Elections (PDF) Observing the 2002 Kenya Elections: Final Report (pdf format), published May 2002. Postelection Statement on Kenya Elections, Dec. 29, 2002 The Carter Center is pleased to have observed Kenya's presidential, parliamentary, and civic elections on Dec. 27. |
|
RSS Feeds
Podcasts