This archive report was first published on 25 October 2019.
The Interior Ministry has rejected demands for Monday, October 28, 2019, to be declared a public holiday to celebrate the Diwali festival.
According to a statement by the ministry, Monday, October 28, remains a normal working day, despite a widely circulated Gazette Notice declaring it a public holiday.
The ministry urged Kenyans to ignore the fake notice, which emerged as the popular Diwali holiday falls on Sunday, October 27, and is not among the days gazetted as public holidays in Kenya.
Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists every year to honor Rama-chandra, the seventh avatar or incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
It is believed that on the particular day Rama returned to his people after spending 14 years in exile, a period during which he fought and won a battle against demons and the demon king, Ravana.
— Ministry of Interior (@InteriorKE) October 25, 2019
