By Okoth Otieno
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Kipchumba Murkomen, has officially declared Friday, June 6, 2025, a public holiday to commemorate Eid-ul-Adha, a significant Islamic festival.
Made through a special gazette notice on Tuesday, June 3, the announcement allows Kenyans across the country to take a day off to celebrate the occasion.
Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, honors the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God, as narrated in the Quran.
The holiday is traditionally marked by prayers, communal feasts, and the symbolic sacrifice of an animal, with the meat distributed among family, friends, and the less fortunate. In Kenya, where cultural and religious diversity is celebrated, Eid-ul-Adha has historically been an optional holiday, allowing employees to choose it as a day off from a list of optional holidays under employment laws.
Citing the Public Holiday Act (Cap 110), Murkomen emphasized the importance of recognizing the festival on a national scale.
“ It is notified for the general information of the public that in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 (1) of the Public
Holidays Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration declares that Friday, 6th June, 2025, shall be a public holiday to mark Eid-ul-Adha,” the gazette notice read.
Murkomen’s declaration comes amid ongoing scrutiny of his leadership, particularly following recent criticism of his handling of security matters as Interior CS.
the declaration underscores the government’s commitment to honoring the country’s cultural diversity, even as it navigates broader challenges.