Friday gazetted as public holiday to mark Eid-ul-Adha
Eid-ul-Adha is often referred to as the festival of sacrifice. It is celebrated by Muslims across the world to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim's devotion to Allah
The government has gazetted Friday as a national Holiday as Muslims shall be marking Eid-Ul-Adha.
In a Special gazette notice by the Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, Muslims shall be celebrating their second-holiest festival of the year.
“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 notice by Murkomen stated in Part.
Eid-ul-Adha is often referred to as the festival of sacrifice. It is celebrated by Muslims across the world to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion to Allah.
The day falls on the tenth day in the final (twelfth) month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar; Dhu-al-Hijjah. The day that celebrations fall on is dependent on a legitimate sighting of the moon, following the completion of the annual Holy Pilgrimage of Hajj.
As part of the celebrations, Muslims will engage in the act of sacrificing (Qurbani) an animal and share the meat with those who are disadvantaged in the community.
While in Kenya, the celebration is done for one day, in other countries where Muslims are the majority, the celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha last between two and four days.
The act of Qurbani (sacrifice) is carried out following the Eid Salaah (Eid Prayers), which are performed in congregation at the nearest Mosque on the morning of Eid. The sacrificial animal must be a sheep, lamb, goat, cow, bull, or camel.
The sheep, lamb, or goat consists of one Qurbani share, whereas a bull, cow, or camel consists of seven shares per animal.
The animal must be in good health and over a certain age for it to be slaughtered, in a “halal” friendly, Islamic way.
Notably, Eid-ul-Adha comes after the Eid-ul-Fitr celebration, which is used to mark the completion of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
This year, Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated on Monday, March 31, after 30 days of Ramadhan that had commenced on Saturday, March 1.
