View source for President of Kenya

{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Short description|Head of state and government of Kenya}}
{{Use Kenyan English|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = President
| body = the Republic of Kenya
| native_name = {{lang|sw|Rais wa Jamhuri ya Kenya}}
| native_name_lang = 
| flag = Kenya presidential standard William Ruto.svg
| flagsize = 125
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = Current presidential standard
| image = President Ruto Potrait 2022.jpg
| imagesize = 
| alt = 
| imagecaption = 
| incumbent = [[William Ruto]]
| incumbentsince = 13 September 2022
| residence = [[State House, Nairobi|State House]]
| seat = [[Nairobi]]
| appointer = [[Direct election|Direct popular vote]] or via succession from [[Deputy President of Kenya|deputy presidency]]
| style = {{Plain list|
* [[Mr. President (title)|Mr President]]
* {{small|(informal)}}
* [[Excellency|His Excellency]]
* {{small|(formal, diplomatic)}}
}}
| type = {{Plain list|
* [[Head of state]]
* [[Head of government]]
* [[Executive president]]
}}
| department = [[Government of Kenya]]
| termlength = Five years,
| termlength_qualified = renewable once
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Kenya]] (2010)
| inaugural = [[Jomo Kenyatta]]
| formation = {{Start date and age|df=y|1964|12|12}}
| deputy = [[Deputy President of Kenya]]
| precursor = [[Governor-General of Kenya]]<br>[[Queen of Kenya]]
| website = {{URL|http://www.president.go.ke/}}
}}
{{Politics of Kenya}}

The '''president of the Republic of Kenya''' ({{Langx|sw|Rais wa Jamhuri ya Kenya}}) is the [[head of state]] and [[head of government]] of the [[Republic of Kenya]]. The president is also the head of the [[Executive (government)|executive branch]] of the [[Government of Kenya]] and is the [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Kenya Defence Forces]]. The country's current president is [[William Ruto]] since 13 September 2022.

== History ==
On 12 December 1964, the Republic of Kenya was proclaimed, and [[Jomo Kenyatta]] became Kenya's first president.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kenya to the United Nations |year=2002 |title=Kenya at the United Nations |url=http://kenyaun.org/polhistory.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608141216/http://kenyaun.org/polhistory.html |archive-date=8 June 2009 |access-date=15 February 2010 |publisher=Consulate General of Kenya in New York}}</ref>

Kenya has had a total of five presidents since establishment, in successive order: [[Jomo Kenyatta]], [[Daniel arap Moi]], [[Mwai Kibaki]], [[Uhuru Kenyatta]], and the incumbent, [[William Ruto]], who was inaugurated on 13 September 2022. Moi remains the country's longest serving president, having served for a total of 24 years.

== Qualifications and election to office ==
According to the current [[Constitution of Kenya|Constitution]], if a person wishes to be elected as president, the following qualifications must be met: 

# Should be a Kenyan citizen by birth; 
# Should be qualified for election as a [[Member of Parliament (Kenya)|Member of Parliament]];
# Should have been nominated by a political party to stand as its candidate for the presidency, or they may stand as an independent candidate; and
# The person should have been nominated by more than two thousand voters from each of a majority of the country's 47 [[Counties of Kenya|counties]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=137. Qualifications and disqualifications for election as President – Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC)|url=http://www.klrc.go.ke/index.php/constitution-of-kenya/130-chapter-nine-the-executive/part-2-the-president-and-deputy-president/305-137-qualifications-and-disqualifications-for-election-as-president|website=www.klrc.go.ke|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref>

A candidate will be disqualified to run for presidency if they have allegiance to a foreign state or is working for the government in any capacity as a public officer. Being a public officer is not applicable to the incumbent president if running for a second term.

The president is elected by popular vote in the general election held in the month of August every five years. For a presidential candidate to be declared the winner, they must have:

# More than half of the total votes cast in the election; and
# At least 25% of the votes cast in each of more than half of the 47 counties in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=136. Election of the President – Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC) |url=http://www.klrc.go.ke/index.php/constitution-of-kenya/130-chapter-nine-the-executive/part-2-the-president-and-deputy-president/304-136-election-of-the-president |access-date=24 May 2020 |website=www.klrc.go.ke}}</ref>

The official residence of the president of Kenya is [[State House, Nairobi|State House]], [[Nairobi]].

The wife of the president is referred to as the [[First Lady of Kenya|first lady of Kenya]].

== Term of office ==
A president is eligible for two consecutive terms of five years each, starting from the date the president is sworn in.<ref>{{Cite web|title=142. Term of office of President – Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC)|url=http://www.klrc.go.ke/index.php/constitution-of-kenya/130-chapter-nine-the-executive/part-2-the-president-and-deputy-president/310-142-term-of-office-of-president|website=www.klrc.go.ke|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref>

== Roles and responsibilities ==
The following is a summary of the roles of the president of Kenya as provided in the [[Constitution of Kenya]]:
* Is the country's head of state and government.
* Exercises the country's executive authority.
* Is the [[commander-in-chief]] of the country's military, the [[Kenya Defence Forces]].
* Is the chairperson of the country's National Security Council.
* Is a symbol of national unity.
The responsibilities of the president are summarised as follows:
* Is responsible for addressing each newly elected [[Parliament of Kenya|Parliament]] and report once to special parliamentary seating concerning issues of national value and governance.
* Holds nominating and appointing authority, with Parliament's approval, over the country's [[Cabinet secretary|cabinet secretaries]], [[Attorney General of Kenya|attorney-general]], principal secretaries, diplomatic and consular representatives and any other public officer over whom the Constitution grants said authority.
* Is the chairperson of [[Cabinet of Kenya|Cabinet]] meetings and oversees the running of operations in various ministries and government departments.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=132. Functions of the President – Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC) |url=http://www.klrc.go.ke/index.php/constitution-of-kenya/130-chapter-nine-the-executive/part-2-the-president-and-deputy-president/300-132-functions-of-the-president |access-date=24 May 2020 |website=www.klrc.go.ke}}</ref>
* The president may also undertake any other executive functions as permitted by the Constitution.
* The president also exercises the [[Pardon|power of mercy]], whereupon the president may pardon a person convicted of an offence.
Additionally, a person serving as president has [[legal immunity]], with the exception of crimes under treaties to which Kenya is party with provisions that prohibit such immunity.

== List of presidents ==
{{Main|List of heads of state of Kenya}}

==Presidential standards==
As with most other countries, the president of Kenya has a [[presidential standard]] to signify their status as the country's head of state and government. Its design is generally based on the country's [[Flag of Kenya|national flag]], although the president has some leeway to customise its appearance. The flag is generally displayed in notable locations associated with the president, usually alongside the national flag, such as the president's offices and the president's [[official state car]], and during notable state occasions.

The presidential standards of Kenya's presidents since the country's independence have been as follows:<gallery class="center" widths="200" heights="135">
File:First presidential standard of Kenya.svg|First Presidential Standard of Kenya (1963–1970)
File:Kenya presidential standard JOMO KENYATTA.svg|Presidential Standard of Jomo Kenyatta (1963–1978)
File:Kenya presidential standard DANIEL ARAP MOI.svg|Presidential Standard of Daniel Arap Moi (1978–2002)
File:Kenya presidential standard MWAI KIBAKI.svg|Presidential Standard of Mwai Kibaki (2002–2013)
File:Kenya presidential standard UHURU KENYATTA.svg|Presidential Standard of Uhuru Kenyatta (2013–2022)
File:Kenya Presidential Standard.svg|Presidential Standard of William Ruto (2022–)
</gallery>

* [[Lists of incumbents]]
* [[Politics of Kenya]]
* [[Prime Minister of Kenya]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.president.go.ke/}}

{{Kenya topics}}
{{KenyaPresidents}}
{{Heads of state and government of African states}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:President Of Kenya}}
[[Category:Presidents of Kenya| ]]
[[Category:1964 establishments in Kenya]]