Kenya

General Information

  • Area: Approximately 580 500 km2
  • Population: 40 million
  • Capital: Nairobi
  • Currency: Kenyan Shilling
  • GDP:   $ 65.9 billion (2010)
  • Domain name extension: .ke
  • Languages: Swahili, English (official languages)
  • Exports: Coffee; tea; horticultural products; hides and skins
  • Imports: Machinery and transportation equipment; consumer goods; petroleum products; iron and steel

International / Regional conventions:

  • Berne Convention
  • Madrid Agreement on Marks
  • Madrid Protocol on Marks
  • Paris Convention
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty
  • WIPO Convention
  • WTO/TRIPS

Trade Mark Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Madrid Agreement:      Yes

Paris Union:                Yes

Types of Trade Marks:

Goods and services

Collective marks

Certification marks

Defensive marks

Series marks

Classification:

The International Classification of Goods and Services (Nice Classification) is applied.

Filing Requirements:

Particulars of Applicant (name, address and nationality)

Simply signed Power of Attorney

Representation of the mark

List of goods and / or services

Certified copy of the priority document

Duration:

The trade mark is registered 10 years from the filing date

Renewal:
Renewable every 10 years

Patent Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Paris Convention:  Yes

PCT: Yes (national phase deadline is 30 months from the priority date)

ARIPO:  Yes (see ARIPO requirements for designating Kenya in an ARIPO application)

OAPI:  No

Filing Requirements:

Published PCT application (or English translation thereof) or English specification, claims and abstract if non-PCT (required on the day of filing)

Power of Attorney, simply signed (no set deadline)

Assignment of Invention, simply signed (if not filed in the international phase) (no set deadline)

International Search Report and International Preliminary Report on Patentability (no set deadline)

Certified priority document (if not lodged in the international phase) (no set deadline)

Novelty
Absolute novelty is required
Patentability
Methods of medical treatment, surgery or diagnosis are not patentable
Excess Fees:
Excess fees are incurred for more than 10 claims, payable at the time of receiving a notification from the Patent Office or requesting examination, whichever is earlier
Examination:
Substantive examination, must be requested within 3 years from the international filing date
Term of Patent:
20 years from the effective filing date
Renewals:
Payable annually in advance from the first anniversary of the effective filing date