Why US Embassy Will be Closed on Monday

The United States (US) Embassy in Nairobi has announced that it will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026.

In a statement on Saturday, January 17, the Embassy said the closure is in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a public holiday in the US.

“The U.S. Embassy will be closed Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day,” the Embassy stated.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is also referred to as MLK Day, is a federal holiday in the United States that is observed on the third Monday of January each year.

The holiday honors the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights leader renowned for his advocacy of civil rights and racial equality, voting rights, nonviolent resistance, economic justice, and fair housing.

The day is usually celebrated with marches and parades and with speeches by civil rights and political leaders.

During the closure of the Nairobi Embassy on Monday, routine consular services will not be available.

However, emergency services for US citizens living in Kenya will remain available throughout the holiday.

Normal operations in the US Embassy Nairobi would resume on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

The US Embassy in Nairobi observes both US federal holidays and Kenyan public holidays.

On September 1, 2025, the Embassy was closed to observe the Labor Day celebrations in America.

“The embassy will be closed on Monday, September 1, in observance of Labor Day,” the Embassy stated.

The announcement followed a proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump declaring September 1 as Labour Day in the US.

The US Embassy was also closed on July 4, 2025, in observance of America’s Independence Day, and on June 19 to mark Juneteenth celebrations.

Juneteenth, which is a blend of June and nineteenth, is an American holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.