How did the East African Rift System contribute to the formation of Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya?

The East African Rift System has been forming for approximately 30 million years as the African and Arabian plates have separated. This ongoing tectonic process is characterized by the divergence of plates, which creates fractures in the Earth's crust and allows magma to rise to the surface.123

The formation of major peaks such as Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya is directly linked to this extensive volcanic activity that has accompanied the rifting process. Unlike the Ruwenzori Range, which is not volcanic in origin, these mountains were built up by the discharge of molten rock associated with the tensions and crustal thinning of the rift system. In these continental settings, the rising magma often assimilates continental crust, which can result in complex volcanic characteristics and explosive activity.1453