Bank and M-Pesa Hours Over Jamhuri Day, Christmas and New Year 2026

Updated 25 October 2026

Kenya’s banks close on every public holiday, but M-Pesa, PesaLink, ATMs and banking apps keep running. December 2026 has three holidays in two weeks: Jamhuri Day on Saturday 12 December, Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December. New Year’s Day follows on Friday 1 January 2027. This guide shows which days branches will be shut, when large bank transfers will not settle, and what you can still do from your phone, so rent, school fees and salaries are not held up over the break.

Quick Answer

• Bank branches: closed on 12, 25 and 26 December 2026 and on 1 January 2027. They are also closed on Sunday 27 December as usual.
• Longest closure: Friday 25 to Sunday 27 December. Branches reopen on Monday 28 December.
• RTGS (KEPSS): runs from 7am to 7pm on business days only, so no RTGS payment settles from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 December or from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January.
• M-Pesa, PesaLink, ATMs and mobile banking: available every day, including the holidays.

Why the Saturday Holidays Matter

Under the Public Holidays Act, a holiday that falls on a Sunday moves to the Monday, but there is no such rule for Saturdays. In 2026, Jamhuri Day and Boxing Day both land on a Saturday, so neither gives you an extra weekday off. They do, however, wipe out the usual Saturday morning banking session. If you normally visit your branch on a Saturday, you will have no Saturday banking on 12 or 26 December. Our guide to Kenya public holidays 2026 and 2027 explains the Sunday rule and lists every date for the next two years.

Holiday Banking Calendar: December 2026 to January 2027

The table below assumes the Interior Cabinet Secretary does not gazette any extra holiday. If an extra day is declared, banks and the Central Bank’s settlement system will treat it as a holiday too.

Normal Branch Hours at Kenya’s Biggest Banks

On the working days around the holidays, branches keep their usual hours. These are the hours the three largest banks publish on their own websites. Individual branches can differ, especially mall branches, so check your branch’s page before you travel.

Equity, KCB and Co-operative Bank all state that branches are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Expect long queues on Thursday 24 December, Monday 28 December and Thursday 31 December, when many people try to finish their errands before or just after a long weekend.

What Still Works on a Public Holiday

M-Pesa

M-Pesa sending, paybill and till payments, Fuliza and M-Shwari all run around the clock, so you can pay bills and send money on Christmas Day. Agents set their own opening hours, and many close or open late on holidays, so withdraw cash a day or two early if you will be travelling upcountry. To keep costs down, check the current M-Pesa send money charges before you move large amounts.

PesaLink

PesaLink, run by Integrated Payment Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Kenya Bankers Association, sends money instantly between bank accounts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including weekends and public holidays. You can send from KSh 10 up to KSh 999,999 per transfer through your bank’s app, internet banking or USSD, although each bank sets its own daily limits. For urgent payments to another bank over the holidays, PesaLink is usually the best choice.

ATMs, Cards and Apps

ATMs, card payments and banking apps stay on over the holidays. Note that ATM cash limits still apply. Co-operative Bank, for example, says the maximum daily ATM withdrawal is KSh 40,000, depending on the account limit you have chosen. Cash machines in busy towns can run out of notes over a long weekend, so plan ahead.

What Stops on a Public Holiday

RTGS Transfers

The Kenya Electronic Payment and Settlement System (KEPSS) is the Central Bank of Kenya’s real-time gross settlement system for large and time-critical payments. Since 1 July 2025 it has run from 7am to 7pm on business days, which excludes weekends and public holidays. An RTGS payment you send on the evening of Thursday 24 December after the cut-off will therefore not settle until Monday 28 December. For a full comparison of the options, see PesaLink vs RTGS vs EFT.

Cheques and EFT

Cheques and EFT batches are processed on business days only. Co-operative Bank says cheques take about one working day to clear, so a cheque deposited on Thursday 24 December may not clear until Monday 28 December or later. Do not rely on a cheque for a payment that is due over the holiday.

Branch-Only Services

Opening accounts, collecting replacement cards and cheque books, large cash withdrawals over the counter and loan signing all need a branch. Do these before Thursday 24 December.

A Checklist for the Holiday Season

1. Pay rent and school fees early. If January fees are due on the first school day, pay by bank transfer before 24 December, or use PesaLink or M-Pesa paybill if you are late.
2. Employers: run payroll before the break. If salaries go out by RTGS, send them by Thursday 24 December, well before the 7pm cut-off. Staff who work on Christmas Day or Boxing Day may be entitled to extra pay; see our holiday pay rules.
3. Carry less cash. Use M-Pesa or a card for travel. Our guide to booking SGR tickets online explains how to pay for train tickets on your phone.
4. Raise your app limits in advance. If you will send large amounts, ask your bank to raise your mobile or PesaLink limit while branches are open.
5. Watch for fraud. Holiday deals bring more fake sellers and fake “reversal” calls. Read our guide to online shopping scams before you pay a stranger.

If Something Goes Wrong Over the Holidays

Bank call centres and app support keep running when branches are shut. Equity’s contact line is +254 763 000 000, KCB’s is 0711 087 000 or 0732 187 000, and Co-operative Bank publishes its call centre and WhatsApp numbers on its website. If you sent money to the wrong number on M-Pesa, contact Safaricom straight away so the transaction can be held while it is checked. Delays in reporting make reversals harder.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are banks open on Jamhuri Day 2026?

No. Jamhuri Day falls on Saturday 12 December 2026 and banks are closed, so there is no Saturday morning banking that day.

Are banks open on 24 and 31 December?

Yes. Thursday 24 December and Thursday 31 December are normal working days, so branches open their usual weekday hours unless your bank announces a change.

When do banks reopen after Christmas 2026?

Monday 28 December 2026. Christmas Day (Friday), Boxing Day (Saturday) and Sunday 27 December are all closed days.

Does M-Pesa work on Christmas Day?

Yes. M-Pesa runs every day of the year, but agents choose their own hours, so withdrawing cash can be harder on a holiday.

Can I send an RTGS payment on a public holiday?

You can submit it, but it will not settle until the next business day, because KEPSS only settles payments from 7am to 7pm on business days. Use PesaLink for instant transfers of up to KSh 999,999.