Kenya (1963–1964) Kenya came into existence on 12 December 1964. Following the abolition of the monarchy, Jomo Kenyatta became the first President of the Republic of Kenya. Kenya (1963–1964) Between 12 December 1963 and 12 December 1964, Kenya was an independent sovereign state that shared its head of state with the United Kingdom and other states headed by Queen Elizabeth II. It was a predecessor to the modern-day Republic of Kenya. When Kenya Colony was given independence from Britain on 12 December 1963, the British monarch (Elizabeth II) remained head of state as Queen of Kenya. The monarch's constitutional roles were mostly
Jomo Kenyatta London took to wearing a fez and cloak and carrying a silver-topped black cane. He adopted his surname, "Kenyatta", after the name of a beaded belt he often wore in early life. As President he collected a variety of expensive cars. Murray-Brown noted that Kenyatta had the ability to "appear all things to all men", also displaying a "consummate ability to keep his true purposes and abilities to himself", for instance concealing his connections with communists and the Soviet Union from both members of the British Labour Party and Kikuyu figures at home. This deviousness was sometimes interpreted as dishonesty