Kenya is the land of holidays, even if there isn’t any great event, we all look forward to a chance to just get away from work and the daily hustle to just , well, have fun! We all love partying in this country.When the president is making a speech we all keep our fingers crossed for that grand announcement, declaring a public holiday. The list of public holidays that we have isn’t really that unique to most states. Here is what we have.
New Year, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour day on May 1st, Madaraka day on June 1st , Idd Ul Fitr (end of Ramadan), Moi day on 10th October, Kenyatta Day on 12th October , Jamhuri day on 12th December, Christmas day and Boxing day.
I think the highlight holidays that we all look forward to are the religious holidays in April and October; that is Easter and Ramadan. The dates vary each year but we all wait in grand anticipation! I think Diwali should also be thrown in the calendar so we can celebrate all religious holidays together…you know one Nation, indiscriminate!
Kenyatta day and Moi Day are days set aside to pay tribute to Kenya’s first and second presidents respectively. Though in recent times Moi day has been a day set aside to reflect and share with the less fortunate members of our society. Kenyatta day is now a day set aside to pay tribute to the country’s freedom fighters who sacrificed and faced persecution for our liberation. There are debates on renaming Kenyatta day to Heroes day, but that still hasn’t happened.Then we have Madaraka day where we celebrate Kenya’s internal self rule and Jamhuri day is a celebration of our independence.
So that is the gist of the basic structure of our public holidays. What the average Kenyan, me included, looks forward to are the usual declarations; such as Obama winning the election. The following day was declared a public holiday, and then there was the national census day in August this year that we got off. As I type today, I have my fingers crossed that another huge event will take place that will merit a presidential declaration!
I can’t stop chuckling at the thought, I know… I am an opportunist. We all are, being spoiled with so many holidays that I have to admit I don’t really commemorate. I just see it as another day off.
I think it’s because the national holidays are so routine and plagued with boring speeches at one National Stadium. True, there were some things that I enjoyed as a child like the several choir performances. Watching the armed forces meticulously dressed, marching in step past the president in succession; the police, army, prisons, scouts and girl guides and other paramilitary organizations. I loved it. But the monotony just sucks the life out of the celebrations.You are better of just catching up with friends and dancing your way through it all. Or like I did yesterday, sleep in and just vegetate. I love Kenya, I love our public holidays! I await the next declaration!
5 comments:
I like the matter-of-factly way you state that 'we all love holidays in this country'. So Kenyan! On a serious note though I think that even if there may be no proper justification for some of the holidays we get, they will always remain a welcome gift from our president. Life is generally hard in Kenya see. The hustle of bustle of being Kenyan, every day living, - as you described very clearly on an earlier blog - takes away so much of us that even though we may not admit it, we all look forward to the days when can relax, sit back .. I think that that is the reason we like the holidays! They present a break from our daily routines that we probably do not like very very much and even if we do are drained so much that we would still savour the break.
I've lived in Kenya for five weeks and there have already been a few public holidays. As someone who is self employed, I decide when to take my own days off and I find it a little annoying when public holidays come around because all the usual shops and services are unavailable. Having said that, if I did go to work and got a day off for it, I'm sure I'd celebrate every Kenyan holiday, but I think we can do without Moi Day.
Well Rose, i love the idea that the blog just generally covers issues that one may not sit down to write and yet they make up our every day moments ! the food, the holidays , our nature ,soils.This is what i would call a refreshing dynamic young at mind writting. I love them public holidays ! actually i would do with another one !hahRosetta
That is so true! I look forward to holidays, not to commemorate anything but just a day to relax or catch up with my sleep!
So when is the next holiday? A holiday that will have no make up class!...
When Moi was president it was even better, he used to randomly grant students an extra week at home after the Christmas holidays. I used to love it . Bliss I tell you:)
On other news,I am crossing my fingers that August 4th will grant us another holiday to go vote for the constitution and if the proposed constitution is passed we will have one less holiday in October :(
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