Kenyan Holidays and Business hours
During Kenyan public holidays, most businesses and public companies are closed except for service firms and organizations that provide essential services such as restaurants, hotels, grocery stores and supermarkets, and hospitals, among others.
While some companies/organizations may offer limited customer support during the holidays, the majority of businesses remain closed to telephone and customer access.
Kenya Public Holidays and National Days observed throughout the country
Kenya has a single time zone- which is GMT+3. Most businesses in Kenya are open from Monday to Friday, though some also trade on Saturday. Business hours are generally 9:00am to 5:00pm, closing for an hour over lunch (1:00pm – 2:00pm).
Kenyan Public holidays include:
1st January – New Years Day
Idd il Fitr *
March/April Good Friday**
March/April Easter Monday**
| Holiday | Day Observed | Observance |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1st January | Beginning of a new year |
| Good Friday | Easter holiday celebrations | |
| Easter Monday | Easter holiday celebrations | |
| Labor Day | 1st May | International workers day |
| Madaraka Day | 1st June | Commemorates the day Kenya attained internal self rule from British colonial rule that ended in the year 1963 following a long freedom struggle |
| Idd – ul – Fitr | A holiday for Muslims to mark the end of Ramadan, commemorated depending on the sighting of the new moon | |
| Mashujaa (Heroes) Day | 20th October | Prior to promulgation of the new constitution in 2010, the holiday was known as Kenyatta day celebrated in honor of Kenya’s founding president, Jomo Kenyatta. It has since been renamed Mashujaa (heroes) to celebrate all the statesmen and women who participated in Kenya’s struggle for freedom. |
| Jamhuri (Republic/Independence) Day | 12th December | Jamhuri is a Swahili word for republic. This day observes a double event – the day Kenya became a republic in the year 1964 as well as the day Kenya gained its independence from the British rule in 1963. |
| Christmas Day | 25th December | |
| Boxing Day | 26th December |
Government working hours:
8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., Monday to Friday with a one-hour lunch break.
Private-sector working hours: 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., Monday to Friday, with a one-hour lunch break. Most private-sector organizations also work half days on Saturday.
Banking hours: 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. on the first and last Saturday of the month for most banks.
Shopping hours: Most shops are open from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on weekdays. Some are also open during weekends from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Most shopping malls stay open until around 8 p.m while others like supermarkets and grocery stores operate 24-hours.
*The Muslim Festival of Idd il Fitr celebrates the end of Ramadhan. The date varies each year depending on the sighting of a new moon in Mecca.
** Dates for the Christian festival of Easter vary from year to year.
Most businesses in Kenya are open from Monday to Friday, though some also trade on Saturday. Business hours are generally 9:00am to 5:00pm, closing for an hour over lunch (1:00pm – 2:00pm).