Gov't declares Friday a public holiday to mark Eid-ul-Adha

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has declared Friday, June 6, a public holiday to mark Eid-ul-Adha.

"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, June 6, 2025, shall be a public holiday," read the gazette notice.

This means Kenyans now get another work-free day this week.

Eid-ul-Adha is an Islamic festival celebrated worldwide to mark the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son.

Eid-ul-Adha, also referred to as the Feast of Sacrifice, recognises Islamic religious festivals as national holidays to ensure inclusivity and religious freedom.

The day is celebrated by Muslims around the world by slaughtering animals, preferably sheep, goats, cows, or camels.

Meat is then shared among family, friends, and the less fortunate, highlighting the values of charity, sharing, and community.

During the day, Muslims start with special morning prayers, followed by animal sacrifice, family visits, and gift exchanges.

The celebrations, also sometimes called the Greater Eid, are determined by the Islamic lunar calendar, which depends on the sighting of the moon and the timing of the Hajj Pilgrimage.

Muslim leaders search for the crescent moon (hilal) to confirm the Dhul Hijjah after the moon is observed. They then count ten days to the determination of Eid-ul-Adha commencement.

The date of the celebration of Eid is yearly, dependent on the Dhul Hijjah, the lunar moon sighting, the day of Arafah, and local or regional decisions.

Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr, two main Islamic holidays, differ in the significance of the celebrations, the timing, and the rites.