NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 24 – Utamaduni day normally marked on October 10 has been renamed Mazingira day.
This is after President William Ruto signed the Statute Law Amendment Bill 2024 into law.
During this day, Kenyans will be expected to take part in various conservation efforts.
”The Mazingira Day shall therefore be a day for all Kenyans to participate in environment conservation activities including tree planting in line with the government’s efforts towards accelerating forest restoration and ensuring that 15 billion trees are planted by 2032 in seeking to address the effects of climate change,” read a brief on the statute law.
The holiday which is celebrated on October 10 every year has seen a series of metamorphoses.
Utamaduni Day replaced the long-observed October 10 holiday, transitioning from Moi Day, whose observance was discontinued over a decade ago.
Udamaduni, Swahili for culture, replaced Huduma (Service) Day which was initially adopted to regularize the October 10 holiday introduced in the 80s in honor of President Daniel Arap Moi but dropped under a new constitutional dispensation.
Moi Day was dropped from the list of Kenyan national holidays in August 2010 after the adoption of the new Constitution.
Retired president Uhuru Kenyatta led cabinet had in December 2019 approved changing its name to Huduma Day, which then became Utamaduni Day in 2020 to honor the nation’s diverse cultural heritage.