There is a long weekend ahead for Kenyans this week, all courtesy of Muslim brothers.
This is after the government declared Friday, April 24, 2023, a public holiday.
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki made the declaration on Wednesday through a gazette notice.
According to the notice dated April 19, 2023, the holiday is for the marking of Idd-ul-Fitr.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 (1) of the Public Holiday Act, declares Friday, 24th April 2023, shall be a public holiday to mark Idd-ul-Fitr,’ read part of the gazette notice.
The festival of Eid al-Fitr, also known as Idd-ul-Fitr is the Festival of Fast-breaking – an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
It usually marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.
The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.
As the date of Eid depends on the sighting of the moon, there may be variations in the exact date that is celebrated around the world.
The announcement of the exact dates of Eid Al-Fitr is usually made towards close to the start of Ramadan.
The 2023 Ramadan period started on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, following the sighting of the moon over Mecca.
