Editor's Review

The LSK president raised concerns over the government's failure to gazette Diwali Day as a National Holiday.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi has wished members of the Hindu community in Kenya and around the world a Happy Diwali Day.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, November 4, 2021, the LSK president raised concerns over the government's failure to gazette Diwali Day as a National Holiday.

The Westlands Parliamentary hopeful argued that in a country comprising people of all religions, the Christians and Muslims are celebrated through national holidays while discriminating against the Hindu community.

File image of LSK President Nelson Havi. |Photo| Courtesy|

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"Happy Diwali to my Friends and Family from the 44th Tribe. Christian and Muslim religious holidays are gazetted public holidays.

"The discrimination of an important Hindu religious holiday by the Government should end. Next year’s Diwali should be a gazetted public holiday," Havi stated.

Diwali also known as the festival of the lights is an important auspicious holiday in the Hindi calendar.

Even though Diwali is not among the gazetted public holidays in Kenya, Kenyan Hindus for many years have jubilantly marked the holiday as they take off a day from work and school to honour their rituals.

On November 3, a gazette notice did rounds online alleging that Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i had gazetted November 4, as a National Holiday.

However, the ministry issued a statement rubbishing the notice as fake, clarifying that it had not declared Diwali Day a national holiday.

Following the statement by the Ministry of Interior, a section of netizens expressed their frustration at the decision by the government not to gazette Diwali as a national holiday.

"We demand equity Hindu community also need a public holiday why are they not given one. Christians have Easter and Christmas, Muslims 2 Eid celebrations with public holidays, Hindus just need one day to enjoy their fundamental rights with family and friends," Joy Mugabi stated.

"Matiangi has forgotten to respect the religious right of the minority. Why not celebrate Diwali?" David Maithya posed.