General Knowledge and Current Affairs
What the section tests
General Knowledge and Current Affairs tests stable facts about Kenya, Africa, and international institutions, plus awareness of recent public developments. It rewards precise knowledge of places, offices, organisations, and dates rather than vague familiarity.
Core rules
- Kenya has 47 counties, with Nairobi as the capital and the Kenya shilling as currency; English and Kiswahili are official languages.
- The East African Community (EAC) is headquartered in Arusha; its partner states include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, DR Congo, and Somalia.
- The African Union is headquartered in Addis Ababa; the UN is headquartered in New York; the UN Environment Programme is headquartered in Nairobi.
- Kenya is a member of the UN, AU, Commonwealth, EAC, and IGAD.
- The Kenya Defence Forces have served in African Union missions in Somalia, including AMISOM and its successor ATMIS.
Worked example
A question asks which UN body is headquartered in Nairobi. The answer is the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Nairobi also hosts UN-Habitat, so read the organisation's name carefully; do not choose UNEP for a question about human settlements.
Traps
Do not confuse the EAC with the AU or the Commonwealth. Check whether a question asks for a headquarters, a secretary-general, or a member state. Current-affairs items can change after appointments or elections, so prefer durable facts and read the wording closely. Do not assume all African countries belong to the EAC.