Ruto assents to law establishing Mazingira Day public holiday

One of the changes the act introduces is renaming Utamaduni Day to Mazingira Day to be celebrated on October 10 every year.

“To substitute Utamaduni Day with Mazingira Day as a public holiday to be observed on October 10 every year. This seeks to complement government efforts towards environmental protection and conservation,” State House Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said.

President William Ruto preparing to plant a tree in Ngong forest during the launch of the National Program for Accelerated Forestry and Rangelands restoration on December 21, 2022. President William Ruto preparing to plant a tree in Ngong forest during the launch of the National Program for Accelerated Forestry and Rangelands restoration on December 21, 2022. Pulse Live Kenya

Initially, the proposal sought to remove the Utamaduni Public Holiday but the move was reversed during the debate of the bill in the National Assembly.

MPs passed a proposal to rename the holiday and theme it around increasing awareness of environmental conservation.

The October 10, public holiday has undergone a significant evolution over the years.

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Originally known as Moi Day, the holiday was established to honour former Kenyan President Daniel Moi, who came to power after the death of the nation's founding father, Jomo Kenyatta.

However, following constitutional changes in 2010, Moi Day was removed from the list of national holidays. This decision was later reversed by a High Court ruling in 2017, reinstating October 10 as a public holiday.

It was then renamed Huduma Day by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to emphasize the spirit of service and volunteerism advocated by Moi.

President William Ruto planting a tree at The Grove of Nations in Jerusalem Forest, Israel on May 9, 2023. President William Ruto planting a tree at The Grove of Nations in Jerusalem Forest, Israel on May 9, 2023. Pulse Live Kenya

This change was further made in 2020 when Huduma Day was renamed Utamaduni Day, meaning "culture" in Swahili.

Utamaduni Day aimed to celebrate Kenya's diverse cultural heritage, bringing together the country's over 44 ethnic groups to promote national unity, cohesion, and economic progress.

Moving forward the public holiday will be known as Mazingira Day.