The government has declared Friday, June 6, a national public holiday to mark Eid al-Adha, a significant Islamic festival.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the decision in a special Kenya Gazette notice published today, May 4, 2025, ensuring that Kenyans can observe the occasion with family and friends.
Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son, a story revered in Islamic tradition.
The holiday, which falls on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah in the Islamic lunar calendar, is a time for prayer, feasting, and charity, particularly among Kenya’s Muslim community.
The declaration has sparked mixed reactions. Some citizens welcomed the break, calling it “good stuff” on social media. Others, however, expressed frustration, with one X user,
@mulamwah_, arguing that Kenya, a “working nation,” doesn’t need more holidays, especially with Saturday already a working day for many.
Under Kenya’s Public Holidays Act, Eid al-Adha is an optional holiday, but this gazette notice makes it a mandatory day off for all.
By Kenyans