Is today a public holiday in Kenya?

Public Holidays Act Cap 110, Employment Act & CBK Clearing Rails

In the Republic of Kenya, statutory public holidays are established under the Public Holidays Act (Cap. 110) and Article 9(3) of the Constitution of Kenya. Kenya observes approximately 11 nationwide statutory public holidays per calendar year, commemorating national liberation struggles and major Christian and Islamic solemnities.

The Sunday Rollover Rule (Section 3)

Under Section 3 of the Public Holidays Act (Cap. 110), "which falls on a Sunday, then the first following day which is not a public holiday shall be a public holiday." This statutory provision guarantees that any national holiday coinciding with a Sunday automatically transfers to the following Monday.

Crucially, Section 3 does not apply to Saturdays. If a public holiday falls on a Saturday, it remains anchored to that day and does not roll over to the following week unless the President issues a special proclamation under Section 3(b) via the Kenya Gazette.

Employment Act 2007: Overtime & Double Pay Rules

Under Section 27 of the Employment Act, 2007, employees are entitled to full pay on statutory public holidays. When an employee is required to work on a public holiday, compensation is regulated under the Regulation of Wages (General) Order:

• Work performed on a public holiday must be compensated at double the employee's basic hourly rate (200% pay) for all hours worked; or
• The employer and employee may contractually agree to a full alternative paid rest day in lieu.

Banking Clearing Rails: CBK KEPSS vs. M-PESA 24/7

Financial infrastructure across Kenya is supervised by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK):

• Wholesale Rails (KEPSS): The Kenya Electronic Payment and Settlement System (KEPSS / RTGS) and the automated clearing house (ACH) pause settlement on gazetted public holidays and Monday substitute days. Paper cheque clearing halts until the next banking business day. Calculate business turnaround windows with our Working Days Calculator.
• Mobile Money (M-PESA / Airtel Money): Operating across Kenya's National Payments System, M-PESA functions 24/7/365. Consumer-to-consumer transfers, Lipa na M-PESA merchant checkouts, and mobile salary disbursements clear in real time on all national holidays.

Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE Trading Calendar)

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) suspends equity, bond, and derivative trading sessions on all statutory holidays and official Monday substitute days gazetted by the government.

Kenya Payment Rails, Exchange Cutoffs & Statutory Pay Matrix (2026–2027)

When a statutory public holiday or in-lieu bank holiday occurs in Kenya, commercial banking counters, central bank real-time gross settlement (RTGS) rails, and retail instant payment systems follow distinct operational rules:

Key 2026 vs. 2027 Holiday Date Shifts & Bridge-Day Planning in Kenya

Because fixed calendar holidays shift one weekday forward between 2026 and 2027 (and movable lunar or liturgical holidays shift by 10 to 15 days), HR teams, payroll processors, and employees in Kenya should account for the following 2026–2027 date comparisons and leave-bridge opportunities: