Kenya Public Holidays 2028
Kenya is expected to keep 12 public holidays in 2028 under the Public Holidays Act (Cap 110): the 11 days in Part I of the Schedule plus Idd-ul-Azha in Part II. Idd-ul-Fitr is projected on Saturday 26 February on the Umm al-Qura tables, so no Monday substitute is expected — but Kenya fixes the date by local moon sighting, and if 1 Shawwal falls on Sunday 27 February, Section 4 moves the public holiday to Monday 28 February. All Islamic dates stay provisional until the Gazette notices are issued.
At a glance
Kenya has 12 official public holidays (12 days off) in 2028 and 5 long weekends; the longest break is Good Friday & Easter Monday (Apr 14 – 17, 4 days).
Provisional — pending official confirmation
| Public holidays | 12 |
|---|---|
| Total days off | 12 |
| Longest break | Good Friday & Easter Monday · 4 days (Apr 14 – 17) |
| Long weekends | 5 |
Official public holidays
New Year's Day (January 1, 2028), Idd-ul-Fitr (February 26, 2028), Good Friday (April 14, 2028), Easter Monday (April 17, 2028), Labour Day (May 1, 2028), Idd-ul-Azha (May 5, 2028), Madaraka Day (June 1, 2028), Mazingira Day (October 10, 2028), Mashujaa Day (October 20, 2028), Jamhuri Day (December 12, 2028), Christmas Day (December 25, 2028), Boxing Day (December 26, 2028)
Kenya public holiday list
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2028 | Saturday | New Year's DayNew Year's Day falls on a Saturday in 2028. The Public Holidays Act only provides a Monday substitute for Part I holidays that fall on a Sunday, so there is no extra weekday off.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| February 26, 2028 | Saturday | Idd-ul-FitrProvisional: the Umm al-Qura tables put 1 Shawwal 1449 AH on Saturday 26 February 2028, and a Saturday holiday gets no substitute under the Act. Kenya fixes the date by local moon sighting, so if 1 Shawwal is confirmed on Sunday 27 February, Section 4 transfers the public holiday to Monday 28 February and the Sunday itself ceases to be one. Check the Cabinet Secretary's Gazette notice before relying on this date.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| April 14, 2028 | Friday | Good FridayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| April 17, 2028 | Monday | Easter MondayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 1, 2028 | Monday | Labour DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 5, 2028 | Friday | Idd-ul-AzhaProvisional date based on astronomical calculation of 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH. Idd-ul-Azha is in Part II of the Schedule, so even if it falls on a Sunday, the Public Holidays Act's Sunday-substitution rule does not apply. The Cabinet Secretary will confirm the date by Gazette notice after moon sighting.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| June 1, 2028 | Thursday | Madaraka DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| October 10, 2028 | Tuesday | Mazingira DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| October 20, 2028 | Friday | Mashujaa DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| December 12, 2028 | Tuesday | Jamhuri DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| December 25, 2028 | Monday | Christmas DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| December 26, 2028 | Tuesday | Boxing DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
Days off in 2028
12 days
Statutory holidays
12
Moon-sighting dates
2 (both Eids)
Status
Provisional
2028 Kenya calendar
01January
02February
03March
04April
05May
06June
07July
08August
09September
10October
11November
12December
How Kenyan public holidays work
Kenya's public holidays are set by the Public Holidays Act (Cap 110). Part I of the Schedule lists 11 fixed or computable holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Madaraka Day, Idd-ul-Fitr, Mazingira Day, Mashujaa Day, Jamhuri Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Part II adds Idd-ul-Azha (Eid al-Adha), declared nationally by Gazette notice each year after moon sighting, and Part III adds Diwali as a public holiday for persons of the Hindu faith.
Section 4 of the Act provides a Sunday-substitution rule: if a Part I holiday falls on a Sunday, the first following day that is not already a public holiday becomes the public holiday, and the Sunday itself ceases to be one. This rule does not apply to Part II holidays (Idd-ul-Azha) or to Saturday holidays. In 2028 no fixed-date holiday falls on a Sunday, and Idd-ul-Fitr is projected on Saturday 26 February — so on the current projections no substitution applies. If moon sighting pushes Idd-ul-Fitr to Sunday 27 February, it becomes Monday 28 February instead.
Provisional dates for 2028
The fixed-date holidays for 2028 are computed from the calendar, but the official Gazette notices that confirm them are not yet published. The Islamic dates are astronomical predictions for 1 Shawwal 1449 AH (Idd-ul-Fitr) and 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH (Idd-ul-Azha). Kenya confirms these by local moon sighting, so the actual dates may shift by a day. That matters more than usual in 2028: on the Umm al-Qura tables 1 Shawwal falls on Saturday 26 February, which needs no substitute, while a local sighting on Sunday 27 February would make Monday 28 February the public holiday instead. Treat this calendar as provisional until the Gazette notices are issued.
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Official sources & data
- The Public Holidays Act (Cap. 110), Revised Edition 2024Visit sourceKenya Law — National Council for Law Reporting
- Ramadan and Eid dates: 1 Shawwal 1449 AH = Saturday 26 February 2028Visit sourceMoonsighting.com (cross-check)
- Hijri Calendar 1449 AH (1 Syawal = 26 Feb 2028; 10 Dhu al-Hijjah = 5 May 2028)Visit sourceTrueCalendar — Umm al-Qura table (cross-check)
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Kenya have in 2028?
Kenya is expected to have 12 public holidays in 2028: the 11 listed in Part I of the Public Holidays Act plus Idd-ul-Azha in Part II. None of the fixed-date holidays falls on a Sunday in 2028, and Idd-ul-Fitr is projected on Saturday 26 February — so no substitute day is expected, although a moon sighting that lands Eid on Sunday 27 February would push the holiday to Monday 28 February.
What is the longest holiday break in Kenya in 2028?
The longest break in Kenya is Good Friday & Easter Monday (Apr 14 – 17, 4 days).
What are the official public holidays in Kenya in 2028?
Kenya has 12 official public holidays in 2028: New Year's Day (January 1, 2028), Idd-ul-Fitr (February 26, 2028), Good Friday (April 14, 2028), Easter Monday (April 17, 2028), Labour Day (May 1, 2028), Idd-ul-Azha (May 5, 2028), Madaraka Day (June 1, 2028), Mazingira Day (October 10, 2028), Mashujaa Day (October 20, 2028), Jamhuri Day (December 12, 2028), Christmas Day (December 25, 2028), Boxing Day (December 26, 2028).
Why are the 2028 Kenya holidays marked as provisional?
The fixed-date holidays are computed from the calendar, but the Cabinet Secretary's Gazette notices that formally confirm them are not yet issued. The Islamic holidays depend on the sighting of the new crescent moon and can shift by one day. This page will be updated once the official notices are published.
When is Idd-ul-Fitr in Kenya in 2028?
On the Umm al-Qura tables 1 Shawwal 1449 AH — and therefore Idd-ul-Fitr — falls on Saturday 26 February 2028, which would need no substitute day. But Kenya fixes the date by local moon sighting, so if the crescent is sighted such that 1 Shawwal begins Sunday 27 February, Section 4 of the Public Holidays Act moves the public holiday to Monday 28 February. Treat the date as provisional until the Cabinet Secretary gazettes it.
What are the long weekends in Kenya in 2028?
Easter gives a four-day break from Good Friday 14 April through Easter Monday 17 April, and Christmas Day on Monday 25 December (with Boxing Day on Tuesday 26 December) opens the festive period. Labour Day on Monday 1 May, Idd-ul-Azha on Friday 5 May and Mashujaa Day on Friday 20 October each extend the surrounding weekend. If moon sighting puts Idd-ul-Fitr on Sunday 27 February, the transferred holiday on Monday 28 February adds a three-day weekend.
What is Mazingira Day?
Mazingira Day is observed on 10 October — a Tuesday in 2028. The day had been Huduma Day and then Utamaduni Day before the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2024 renamed it Mazingira Day, dedicated to national environmental conservation activities. "Mazingira" means "environment" in Swahili.
