Monday next week declared public holiday

By Peter Ochieng

The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Interior Kithure Kindiki has declared Monday, 13th November, 2023, a public holiday.

Kindiki, in a gazette notice dated 6th November, 2023 said members of the public will get a day off from their work related engagements to participate in a patriotic act of tree growing.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the public holidays act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration declares 13th November, a public holiday in which the public shall be engaged in tree growing countrywide," reads the notice.

"The exercise is part of Kenya's landscape and ecosystem restoration program towards the growing of 15 billion trees," added the CS.

He said president William Ruto will lead a national function, while governors and CSs will preside over tree growing exercises in all the 47 counties.

For example, CS for Public Service Moses Kuria will be in Meru and Kisumu counties for the exercise.

After the gazette notice was shared on social media, some Kenyans branded it fake, forcing CS Kindiki to make a clarification via a post on Facebook and Twitter.

"Following the decision of the Cabinet sitting in Mombasa on Friday November 3, 2023, the Government has declared a special holiday on Monday, November 13, 2023, during which the public across the Country shall be expected to plant trees as a patriotic contribution to the national efforts to save our Country from the devastating effects of Climate Change. National Examinations scheduled for that day shall proceed normally," he wrote.

President William Ruto earlier this year launched an ambitious plan of planting 15 billion trees in the next 10 years.

The Head of State holds the opinion that tree planting and growing will provide an effective answer to challenges caused by climate change.