Kenya’s public holidays are set by the Public Holidays Act. Government offices, banks and most businesses close. Supermarkets, malls and restaurants usually stay open.
The next twelve months
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Saturday 10 October 2026 | Mazingira Day |
| Tuesday 20 October 2026 | Mashujaa Day |
| Saturday 12 December 2026 | Jamhuri Day |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | Christmas Day |
| Saturday 26 December 2026 | Utamaduni Day |
| Friday 01 January 2027 | New Year's Day |
| Tuesday 09 March 2027 | Eid al-Fitr (estimated) |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | Good Friday |
| Monday 29 March 2027 | Easter Monday |
| Saturday 01 May 2027 | Labor Day |
| Tuesday 01 June 2027 | Madaraka Day |
Dates marked “(estimated)” depend on the sighting of the moon and are confirmed by gazette notice shortly before.
The rules
- A holiday on a Sunday moves to the following Monday. A holiday on a Saturday does not move.
- Idd-ul-Azha is a public holiday in years when the Interior Cabinet Secretary gazettes it, so it is not listed above until then.
- Extra holidays are sometimes declared at short notice by gazette notice, for example for a national event or a period of mourning.
Working on a public holiday
If you work on a public holiday you are owed double pay for the hours worked. See Working in Kenya.
The national days
- Madaraka Day, 1 June - self-government in 1963.
- Mazingira Day, 10 October - environment day, with tree planting. It has had several names: Moi Day, then Huduma Day, then Utamaduni Day.
- Mashujaa Day, 20 October - Heroes’ Day.
- Jamhuri Day, 12 December - independence in 1963 and the republic in 1964.
- Utamaduni Day, 26 December - culture day, formerly Boxing Day.
Around Christmas
Nairobi empties at Christmas as people travel upcountry. Traffic out of the city is heavy in the days before, bus and SGR tickets sell out, and many small businesses close until early January.