President of Kenya Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Kenya
Incumbent William Ruto since 13 September 2022
Government of Kenya
Style	Mr President (informal) His Excellency (formal, diplomatic)
Residence	State House
Seat	Nairobi
Appointer	Direct popular vote or via succession from deputy presidency
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Kenya
Precursor	Governor-General of Kenya Queen of Kenya
Inaugural holder	Jomo Kenyatta
Formation	12 December 1964; 60 years ago (1964-12-12)
Deputy	Deputy President of Kenya
Salary	KSh. 886,250 (basic) KSh. 1,443,750 (gross) monthly

The President of the Republic of Kenya (called Rais wa Jamhuri ya Kenya in Swahili) is a very important leader. This person is both the head of state and the head of government for Kenya. They lead the executive branch of the Government of Kenya. They are also the commander-in-chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, which means they are in charge of the country's military. The current president is William Ruto, who started his term on September 13, 2022.

Kenya's Presidential History
Becoming President: Rules and Elections
How Long Does a President Serve?
What the President Does: Roles and Duties
List of Presidents
Presidential Flags
See also

Kenya's Presidential History

Kenya became a republic on December 12, 1964. This is when Jomo Kenyatta became Kenya's very first president.

Since then, Kenya has had five presidents. They are:

President Moi served for 24 years. This makes him the longest-serving president in Kenya's history.

Becoming President: Rules and Elections

To become president in Kenya, a person must meet certain rules from the Constitution.

Here are the main requirements:

They must be a Kenyan citizen from birth.
They must be qualified to be a Member of Parliament.
They need to be chosen by a political party to run for president. They can also run as an independent candidate.
More than 2,000 voters from most of Kenya's 47 counties must nominate them.

A person cannot run for president if they are loyal to another country. They also cannot be working for the government as a public officer. However, if the current president is running for a second term, this rule does not apply to them.

The president is chosen by people voting in a general election. These elections happen every five years in August.

To win the election, a candidate must get:

More than half of all the votes cast in the election.
At least 25% of the votes in more than half of the 47 counties.

The official home of the Kenyan president is State House in Nairobi. The president's wife is known as the First Lady of Kenya.

How Long Does a President Serve?

A president can serve for two terms. Each term lasts five years. The term starts on the day the president is sworn into office.

What the President Does: Roles and Duties

The Constitution of Kenya explains the president's important jobs.

Here are some of the president's main roles:

They are the country's head of state and government.
They use the country's executive power.
They are the commander-in-chief of the Kenya Defence Forces.
They lead the country's National Security Council.
They represent national unity.

The president also has several responsibilities:

They speak to each new Parliament. They also report to Parliament about important national issues.
They choose and appoint people for important jobs. These include cabinet secretaries, the attorney-general, and ambassadors. Parliament must approve these choices.
They lead Cabinet meetings. They also make sure government ministries and departments are running well.
The president can do other executive tasks allowed by the Constitution.
The president has the power of mercy. This means they can pardon someone who has been found guilty of a crime.

While in office, the president has legal immunity. This means they cannot be sued or charged with most crimes. However, this does not apply to crimes under international agreements that Kenya has signed.

List of Presidents

Presidential Flags

Like many countries, Kenya's president has a special flag. This flag shows their important role as head of state and government. The design is usually based on the national flag. However, the president can make some small changes to its look. This flag is often seen where the president works or travels. You might see it on their offices or on their official state car. It is also displayed during important national events.

Here are the presidential flags used by Kenya's presidents since the country became independent: