Monday Not a Public Holiday, Kenya Government Says

The Interior Ministry has dismissed reports claiming that Monday, October 28th has been declared a public holiday to mark Diwali.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry said Monday will be a normal working day, stating that a gazette notice shared on social media claiming Monday was announced a public holiday is fake.

“Kindly ignore a gazette notice circulating on social media claiming Monday 28th October 2019 to be a public holiday. Monday 28th remains a normal working day,” the ministry said.

Diwali is a major religious festival in Hinduism and is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains across the world.

The festival, which coincides with the Hindu New Year, celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.