History

On December 12, 1963, Kenya became an independent Nation. In 1964 the country became a republic, with Kenyatta as president. More than 70% of the country was affected by the sub-Saharan drought of the early 1970s.

After Kenyatta's death in 1978, Vice President Daniel arap Moi succeeded him as president. In 1992, Moi was re-elected president in Kenya's first multiparty election in 26 years. Opponents denounced the election as rigged.

Under the constitution Moi who was forced to retire nominated Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Kenya's first leader, as the Kenya African National Union (KANU) candidate for president. Mwai Kibaki, who ran against Moi in 1992 and 1997 and once was his vice president, was the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) candidate and the most popular of all the candidates.

Kibaki was elected president with 62% of the vote, and NARC won a majority of seats in the national assembly.