Government Cancels Public Holiday Set For August 26

In a move that is likely to disappoint Kenyan holiday lovers, the government has canceled the holiday set for 26th of August.

The government had indicated that 26th of August was to be a holiday to facilitate Kenyans to take part in the census exercise that will be happening from 24th.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, while speaking on Friday about the preparedness of the government for the census exercise, indicated that Monday was to be a holiday.

In a quick turn of events, State House Kenya, through their Twitter handle, has termed the directive an “error” and apologized to Kenyans for the “inconvenience.”

According to the latest statement, the President “did not announce a holiday on 26th of August.”

“Contrary to our earlier dispatch on the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, we wish to clarify that His Excellency the President did not announce that August 26 will be a public holiday,” said a statement from PSCU.

Kenyans were already excited given that for the first time in history, they were going to have two public holidays after the Eid Adha Mubarak that was announced by CS Fred Matiang’i to be a public holiday.

“We regret the error and wish to say that as much as the Kenya 2019 Population and Housing Census is important to the country, August 26 which will be on a Monday will not be a public holiday. Our apologies for the inconveniences caused by the erroneous communication,” the PSCU added.

Kenyans are, however, still hopeful that the “confusion” within government will melt and they will soon “come back to their senses” and see the “importance of making August 26 a public holiday.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Dr. Fred Matiang’i, who is mandated by law to declare a public holiday, has not uttered a word about the ongoing “confusion” and “erroneous communications.”

The Acting CS for National Treasury, Ukur Yattani, had requested the Ministry of Interior to declare August 26 a public holiday to give Kenyans more time for the Census.