Uhuru Kenyatta

Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta was born in Nairobi on 26 October 1961, the son of founding president Jomo Kenyatta and Ngina Kenyatta. Raised in Mama Nginas Catholic household and educated at St Marys School, he moved through a private-school elite pipeline before studying political science and economics at Amherst College. He returned to Kenya through family business, married Margaret Gakuo, and became father to Jomo, Ngina and Jaba. Daniel arap Moi elevated him into public life as Kenya Tourism Board chair, nominated MP, Minister for Local Government, and KANU presidential candidate in 2002. He lost to Mwai Kibaki, became opposition leader, then moved into the Grand Coalition as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance. Named among the Ocampo Six after the 2007-08 post-election violence, he allied with William Ruto through TNA, URP and Jubilee, won the 2013 presidency under ICC shadow, and governed through devolution, security crises, China-funded infrastructure, debt growth, and the Big Four Agenda. His presidency also operated through public religious channels: Jubilee used Christian peace and born-again campaign language in 2013, mainstream churches pressed him over insecurity and dialogue in 2014, and Muslim leaders were courted before the 2017 election. His second term was marked by the 2017 election annulment, the Raila Odinga handshake, BBI, COVID restrictions, Pandora Papers reporting on family offshore structures, and the 2022 succession rupture in which he backed Raila against Ruto. After handing over power to Ruto, he remained active through EAC mediation in eastern DRC and Jubilee Party politics.