This archive report was first published on 12 August 2019.
On August 12th, 2019, the Kenyan government gazetted Monday, August 12th, as a public holiday to mark the Islamic Festival of Eid ul Adha. This move has sparked a demand from Atheists in Kenya (AIK) to recognize February 17th as a national holiday.
Harrison Mumia, the president of AIK, has accused the government of giving special treatment to Christians and Muslims, while turning a blind eye to minority groups like atheists. In a letter to the State, Mumia stated, "This declaration amounts to religious privilege that the dominant religions in Kenya (Christians and Muslims) have enjoyed since independence, courtesy of the Kenyan Government and the current Constitution."
According to Mumia, the declaration of February 17th as an atheist holiday would end the social inequity faced by atheists in the country. He noted, "As it stands today, atheists are considered an underclass in this country, yet our constitution protects freedom of belief and conscience."
AIK was registered as a society under the Societies Act, Cap 108 on February 17th, 2016. Mumia believes that recognizing February 17th as a national holiday would be a step towards ending the abhorrence faced by atheists from members of dominant religious groups.
