UHURU KENYATTA

Uhuru Kenyatta was born on October 26, 1961, to Kenya's first president, Jomo Kenyatta, and Mama Ngina Kenyatta. He is a member of the Kikuyu ethnic group, and his name "Uhuru," meaning "freedom" in Swahili, reflected the anticipation of Kenya's independence. He attended St. Mary's School in Nairobi before pursuing higher education in economics, political science, and government at Amherst College in the United States. Upon returning to Kenya, he ventured into business, founding Wilham Kenya Limited, an agricultural export company.

Uhuru's political journey began in 1997 when he ran for the Gatundu South parliamentary seat but lost. In 1999, he was appointed as the chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board and later nominated to Parliament in 2001. His early political career included serving as Minister for Local Government under President Daniel arap Moi. In 2002, Moi endorsed Kenyatta as his successor, but he lost the presidential election to Mwai Kibaki. Despite this setback, Uhuru became Leader of the Opposition and later supported Kibaki's successful re-election bid in 2007.

Uhuru's rise to national prominence continued when he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in 2009. During his tenure, he spearheaded financial reforms, but his career faced a significant challenge when the International Criminal Court (ICC) accused him of crimes against humanity related to the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya. Although he initially faced trial, the charges were eventually dropped in 2015 due to insufficient evidence.

In 2013, Uhuru ran for president under The National Alliance (TNA) party, forming a coalition with William Ruto's United Republican Party (URP). He won the election with a narrow majority, defeating Raila Odinga. His victory was contested, but the Supreme Court upheld the results. His re-election in 2017 faced similar challenges, with the results initially annulled by the Supreme Court, leading to a repeat election, which he won.

During his presidency, Kenyatta focused on economic transformation, infrastructure development, and fighting corruption. His administration launched significant projects like the Standard Gauge Railway and free maternal healthcare, while his "Big Four" agenda targeted manufacturing, healthcare, affordable housing, and food security. However, his tenure was also marked by challenges, including rising public debt and strikes in key sectors like education and healthcare.

Uhuru’s second term saw his efforts to bridge political divides, most notably through the 2018 handshake with opposition leader Raila Odinga, which led to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) aimed at constitutional reforms. His government also launched a major anti-corruption campaign that resulted in high-profile arrests.

Internationally, Kenyatta was active in promoting African unity, strengthening regional ties, and advocating for reforms in global institutions such as the United Nations Security Council. His foreign policy also emphasized economic partnerships, particularly with China, which supported many of Kenya’s infrastructure projects.

Despite controversies such as his family’s inclusion in the Pandora Papers, which revealed offshore investments, Kenyatta's leadership earned him various national and international accolades. He received honors like the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya, the Mandela Peace Prize, and the African Gender Award, solidifying his legacy as one of Kenya's influential leaders.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uhuru_Kenyatta