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Monday August 12, 2019 has been declared a public holiday to mark the Eid Ul Hajj celebrations.
The announcement was made by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i via a gazette notice published on Thursday.
"It is notified for the general information of the public that in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Public Holidays Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of the National Government declares that Monday, the 12th August 2019 be a public holiday to mark Idd-ul-Adha," the notice read.
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Interior CS Fred Matiang'i declares Monday August 12 public holiday to mark Eid Ul Hajj
Significance of Eid-ul-Hajj holiday
The Eid-ul-Hajj/ Eid-ul-Adha celebration marks the culmination of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the holy city for Muslims.
It also commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah's (God's) command to sacrifice his son.
The journey to Mecca is mandatory for all faithfuls at least once in one's lifetime as long as one is able to do so.
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Hajj pilgrims in Mecca