Friday declared public holiday

By Peter Ochieng

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Interior and National Administration Abraham Kithure Kindiki has declared Friday, 21st April, 2023 a public holiday.

In a gazette notice dated Wednesday, April 19th, 2023, the CS said Kenyans will take a rest to mark Idd-ul-Fitr.

"It is notified for general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(1) of the public holidays Act, declares Friday 21st April, 2023, shall be a public holiday to mark Idd-ul-Fitr."

The holiday will be marked to signal the end of the Holy Month of Ramadhan where Muslims fast and pray across the world.

Fasting is replaced by feasting during Idd-ul-Fitr, and the very name of the holiday means “Festival of Breaking the Fast.”

According to publicholidays.africa, when Ramadhan ends, and the month called “Shawwal” begins, Muslims join for communal prayer, for listening to further sermons and to give out charitable food donations, especially to the poor.

Kenya has a dozen public holidays, including Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas, secular holidays such as New Year’s Day and Labour Day, and holidays of British origin like Boxing Day.