ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses Kenya’s soft power, which stems from its philosophy of Harambee, cultural exports including its fabrics, its athletes’ success in international sporting events, its wildlife, landscape and cultural festivals that are tourist attractions; and its idealistic and pacific foreign policy and economic diplomacy. The chapter argues that Kenya has benefitted from its soft power posture as seen in its annual attraction of tourists from across the globe. This has promoted Nairobi’s foreign policy objective of economic diplomacy as the tourist sites contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In addition, key multinational organisations such as the China Global Television Network (CGTN) and Toyota have established their regional offices and assembly plants in Kenya. However, political corruption, ethnicity, the tussle with the International Criminal Court (ICC), and high levels of electoral violence, which have characterised the political landscape of the East African state, have punctured its soft power capacity.
