No Diwali holiday on Monday, says Govt

The government has denied a gazette notice making rounds on social media claiming that Monday, October 28 is a public holiday to mark Diwali.

The Ministry of Interior asked Kenyans to ignore the notice making rounds saying it was fake and reminded everyone that Monday is a “normal working day.”

“Kindly ignore a gazette notice circulating on social media claiming Monday 28th October 2019 to be a public holiday. Monday 28th remains a normal working day,” read a statement posted on social media by the Ministry.

Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism and celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. It lasts for five days and usually falls in late October and November.

The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning “row of lights,” which are lit on the new-moon night to invite the presence of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.