Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has confirmed October 10 will be a public holiday. The CS however did not elaborate if there will official celebrations.
10th October was long marked as national holiday popularly known as Moi day it was removed from a list of public holiday in the 2010 constitution. Debate to scrap the holiday started post 2002 general election following retirement of Mzee Moi.
A court ruling in November 2017 reinstated the day to marked as a holiday on grounds its removal was in contravention of the Public Holidays Act.
“Going by the court’s decision, therefore, October 10 shall be a public holiday,” Matiang’i said in a statement to the media on Monday.
“Owing to the elaborate celebrations lined up for all our heroes on Mashujaa Day (October 20), I make no pronouncement on the manner in which October 10 shall be celebrated.”
He noted that arising from the aforesaid court ruling, the ministry was in the process of making proposals to Parliament for a comprehensive review of the Public Holidays Act “but was unfortunately caught up with time.”
“The review will address all outstanding matters with respect to public holidays and embrace the spirit of the Constitution on how our heroes will be celebrated,” he said.
When he made the ruling last November, Justice George Odunga did not specify how the holiday should be celebrated. He left the matter to Parliament and the Interior Cabinet Secretary.
It is expected that the day will be marked quietly with no pomp and colour that characterizes public holidays.
Matiangi’s move has been lauded by lazy employees who are tired of the peanuts they get from their nagging bosses. Majority of the un-employed however are happy that government will not be using millions to mark just a day that seem meaningless to the many.
By choosing not to celebrate, it saves Uhuru the embarrassment of facing Kenyans with the current situation of high cost of living that has send many to economic cliff.
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