By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
Kenyans might get another holiday on their calendar, but only if the prayers of First Lady Mama Rachael Ruto are answered.
The First Lady on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, revealed that she was praying that one day the country set aside a day for Thanksgiving – so that it is declared a national holiday.
According to the President’s spouse, if Kenyans get a day off to thank God, it can be a start for better things for the country.
She gave an example of the United States of America (USA) which has a Thanksgiving day which is usually a national holiday.
“I made a prayer to God and I told God, I pray that Kenyans one day have a day of thanksgiving. It is actually a holiday,” Mama Rachael said.
She spoke during a Thanksgiving prayer service at the Kenyatta International Conventional Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
“In America, nothing happens on that day. It is a thanksgiving and you can see the history. It is because of the great harvest that they got, it’s because of what God has done for them,” she added.
In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, as specified in a joint resolution passed by Congress in 1941 and a proclamation issued by President Franklin D.
For Kenya to have a similar holiday, it will need to go through Parliament for approval.
Currently, there are approximately twelve nationally recognized Public holidays celebrated in Kenya.
They include New Year’s Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday, Labour Day, Madaraka Day and formerly Moi Day, formerly Huduma Day.
Others are Mashujaa Day (Formerly Kenyatta Day), Jamhuri Day which marks the date of Kenya’s establishment as a republic on 12 December 1964, Christmas Day and Eid al-Fitr as well as Eid al-Adha which usually depends on the sighting of the moon.