Uhuru Kenyatta, the fourth President of Kenya, is widely known for his two-term leadership and major development projects. However, few people know that his presidency earned him a place in the Guinness World Records at some point during his regime.
Through this, Uhuru Kenyatta remains the only Kenyan president associated with not only one but two Guinness World Records entries to date.
In this segment, Times Digital Kenya takes a look at the two major records held by the former president.
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First Guinness World Record – Youngest Kenyan President (2013)
Uhuru Kenyatta got recognized by the Guinness World Records immediately after he was first sworn in as the President of Kenya. In 2013, he set the record as the youngest president ever to be sworn in Kenya.
For instance, Mwai Kibaki was sworn in in December 2002 at the age of 68, William Ruto at the age of 55 in September 2022, Daniel arap Moi at the age of 52 on August 22, 1978, and the first President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, at the age of 61 on December 12, 1964.
As such, Uhuru Kenyatta set the record as the youngest ever president in Kenya to be sworn in at the age of 51 on April 9, 2013, at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi.
Second Guinness World Record – Strictest Plastic bag law
Just a few years after his first achievement, Uhuru Kenyatta made another significant milestone in 2017. This time, it was after he signed into law environmental protection regulations that enforced a ban on single-use plastic bags.
He imposed severe penalties on those who violated the directive, with maximum fines of up to Ksh 4 million and up to four years in jail for manufacturers and importers.
With this move, the former president not only earned praise from around the globe but also caught the attention of the Guinness World Records.
As such, Uhuru Kenyatta was recognized by the Guinness World Records for his achievement in eradicating plastic bags in the country by enforcing the strictest regulations among world leaders. Source here
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To date, the former head of state remains the only Kenyan president to have not just one, but two entries in the Guinness World Records.
