Moi day renamed to Huduma Day

Moi day is set to be renamed Huduma Day with boxing Day becoming Utamaduni Day in new proposals adopted by cabinet on Thursday.

The proposed amendments to the Public Holidays Act will however take effect once approved by Parliament.

Since 1988, Kenyans had been marking the holiday in honor   of former President Daniel Moi, but the custom was to change following the promulgation of the Constitution on august 27th 2010 when the day was removed from the list of national holidays.

However, on November 8 2017, the High Court restored 10th October, as a public holiday.

Justice George Odunga in his ruling said the scrapping of Moi Day was an illegality and was in contravention of the law with Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i announcing its comeback on 8th October, 2018, citing the Judicial Review No. 292 of 2017.

The national holiday now making a comeback albeit under a different name, Huduma day in line with former President Daniel Arap Moi’s desire that the day be commemorated as a day of service and volunteerism.

Cabinet also approved the renaming of Boxing Day which falls on December 26 to Utamaduni Day.

Utamaduni Day would be set aside to celebrate the country’s rich cultural diversity and heritage.

The president had in his Jamhuri day speech encouraged Kenyans to celebrate boxing day in their own diverse African ways devoid of foreign trappings.

The proposed amendments to the Public Holidays Act will take effect once approved by Parliament.