[Beloved Levinite]

Kenya’s a third world Banana Republic, more so in 1963. Whose to say they wouldn’t just start using Republic of Kenya on their govt docs after Kenyatta became President Banana & claimed their independence in Dec ‘63?

[Mount Athos]

Kenya’s a third world Banana Republic, more so in 1963. Whose to say they wouldn’t just start using Republic of Kenya on their govt docs after Kenyatta became President Banana & claimed their independence in Dec ‘63?

Kenya did not have a president in dec 1963, the queen of england was the head of state. They weren't a republic, they were a constitutional monarchy at that time. Kenyatta didn't become president until a year later, Dec 12th 1964.

One bit of evidence that they didn't proclaim themselves a republic until the official date of dec 1964 is their stamps. They issued a bunch of stamps in 1963, none of them have the word republic on them. Then coinciding with the vote to become a republic on dec 12th 1964, they released 5 stamps with the word republic on them, exactly on that date.

[Genoa]

Exactly! People overanalyze and give Kenyan officials in 1963-64 far too much credit for being able to parse technicalities like formal status as a Republic or whatever. Especially in a case like this where “Republic” is a matter of intense local pride.