Onitini collected in East Africa (mainly southeastern Kenya) are discussed. The distribution of onitine species over Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Tsavo National Park is reviewed (table 1). Three new species and one new subspecies are described and illustrated, viz., Onitis bispicticollis, kingstoni, pseudojansenii, sulcipennis subsp. naromorus (all from Kenya). For species described from other parts of Africa lectotypes are designated, viz., Onitis obscurus Lansberge, vanderkelleni Lansberge, vethi Lansberge (junior synonym of fabricii Roth), westermanni Lansberge. Onitis decellei Frey is a junior synonym of 0. violaceus Lansberge and a junior homonym of 0. decellei Paulian (junior synonym of viridulus Reiche). Further notes concern identification, variation, distribution, and ecology of Onitis, Platyonitis, Cheironitis, Heteronitis, Aptychonitis.