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Kenyans were yesterday sharply divided over the name of the October 10 public holiday.

A section of Kenyans took to social media to inquire whether the day is known as Utamaduni Day or Huduma Day.

“Hakuna holiday called Huduma Day, argued one Kenyan on twitter before another hit back thus; “But Matiang’i (former Interior Cabinet Secretary) gazetted the day as Utamaduni Day.

He shared a tweet circulated by a recent State House tweet stating thus; “Cabinet also approved renaming of Moi Day, which falls on 10th October, to Huduma Day. This is in line with former president Daniel Arap Moi’s desire that the day be commemorated as a day of service and volunteerism. Renaming of Boxing Day to Utamaduni Day was also approved.”

Public holiday

Dr Matiang’i, in a communication dated October 7, maintained that October 10 would be observed as a public holiday to be known Utamaduni Day.

“All citizens are reminded to honour the day by recognizing and celebrating the rich cultural diversity of Kenya in a manner that promotes our unity, national cohesion and economic progress,” Matiang’i stated.

But some tweeter user dismissed the debate on whether the day is known as Huduma Day or Utamaduni Day, retorting thus; Hii ni Moi Day, ingine ni semantics.”

Moi Day had been removed from the list of public holidays following the promulgation of the Constitution in 2010.

However, then High Court judge Justice George Odunga in a court ruling in November 2017 reinstated the holiday on grounds that its removal was in contravention of the Public Holidays Act.

 Justice Odunga observed that although Moi Day was not a national day, the celebration of that day as a public holiday did not contravene the Constitution.

The court had observed that unless Parliament changes the law to scrap it or the Interior CS substitutes it with another fete, Kenyans would still observe the day meant to celebrate the late Mzee Moi.

He ruled that failure to observe the day would be an illegality and breach of the Public Holidays Act.