Ruto responds to request of having Diwali as a national holiday

By Peter Ochieng

President William Ruto has spoken on the need to have Diwali as a national holiday.

Addressing Kenyans during Diwali celebrations at State House, Nairobi on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, Ruto said legislative measures must be put in place, before the day becomes a holiday.

He promised to initiate the process, so that November 01 every year is set aside for Diwali national celebrations.

“To all those celebrating this joyous occasion, I have heard your request on the issue of having Diwali as a national holiday. I will undertake to subject it to the process of government. If it has to happen it has to go all the way to Parliament, and I want to assure you that we will have made a decision by the next Diwali,” he stated.

The President spoke shortly after Kamal Gupta, chairman of the Hindu Council of Kenya asked him to consider the matter. Gupta said that declaring Diwali a public holiday would grant the Hindu community a great sense of recognition, as an integral part of the country.

“As a Hindu community, we pray that this will be considered a national day to ensure that the community also feels that great recognition, and I’m sure that one day our country and leadership will accept our prayer,” Gupta said.

According to npr.org, Diwali, also known as Deepavali and the Hindu “Festival of Lights,” is one of India's most widely celebrated holidays. It overlaps with other harvest rituals and festivals.

The dates for the holiday vary each year as they follow the lunar calendar. Diwali originated in India more than 2,500 years ago.

The annual festival, which expands to the Indian diaspora, is usually observed for five days or even as short as one day, depending on where a person lives or how the person celebrates.

Diwali is not recognized as a national holiday in Kenya. Some of the public holidays in Kenya are: Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Idd ul-Fitr, Labour Day, Madaraka Day, Eid al-Adha, Huduma Day and Mashujaa Day.

Others are Jamhuri Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year.