December 2026 Public Holidays in Kenya: Full List and Dates

Updated 1 November 2026

There are three December 2026 public holidays in Kenya: 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. Because two of the December holidays land on a Saturday, and Saturday holidays are not moved to Monday, most office workers get only one extra weekday off in December this year.

Updated November 2026. Dates follow the Public Holidays Act (Cap. 110). The Act is published on Kenya Law. Any change would be made by gazette notice from the Interior Cabinet Secretary.

December 2026 public holidays in Kenya at a glance

Jamhuri Day marks the day Kenya became independent in 1963 and became a republic in 1964. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are listed in the schedule to the Public Holidays Act alongside New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Madaraka Day, Mazingira Day and Mashujaa Day. For the whole year, see our complete list of Kenya public holidays for 2026 and 2027.

Why the December 2026 public holidays give no extra Monday off

Section 4 of the Public Holidays Act covers holidays that fall on a Sunday: the next day that is not already a holiday becomes the public holiday. The Act has no matching rule for Saturdays. So when Jamhuri Day falls on Saturday 12 December 2026, Monday 14 December is a normal working day unless the government gazettes otherwise. The same applies to Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December.

The Interior Cabinet Secretary does have the power to declare an extra public holiday by notice in the Kenya Gazette. That has happened for one-off events in past years, but nobody can promise it in advance. Treat any social media post about a “Jamhuri Monday” with care until you see the gazette notice.

What the December 2026 public holidays mean for your leave

With Christmas and New Year’s Day both on a Friday, the gap between them is the best place to spend leave. Four leave days, Monday 28 to Thursday 31 December, give you ten days off in a row, from 25 December to Sunday 3 January 2027. One leave day on Thursday 24 December gives a four-day Christmas weekend.

Try your own numbers in our free Kenya leave planner, or read the detailed guide to the best days to take leave in December.

Working on the December 2026 public holidays

Many people work through the festive season, especially in hospitals, security, hotels, transport and shops. The Regulation of Wages (General) Order sets pay for work on a public holiday at twice the normal hourly rate. Some wage orders and collective agreements are more generous. Our guide to holiday pay for working on public holidays explains how to check what you are owed and what to do if you were not paid.

A Saturday holiday still counts as a public holiday for pay purposes. If you normally work Saturdays and you work on 12 or 26 December, the holiday rate applies to the hours you work that day.

Banks, M-Pesa and government offices

Banks and government offices close on the December 2026 public holidays, and Saturday holidays affect the branches that usually open on Saturday mornings. M-Pesa keeps running, but a bank transfer or cheque started on a holiday is usually processed on the next working day. Check our guide to bank and M-Pesa hours over Jamhuri, Christmas and New Year before you plan big payments, school fees or rent for early January.

School holidays and travel

December is also the long school holiday, so bus fares, flights and coast hotels fill up fast. Book early if you plan to travel in the days just before Christmas. If your children are staying in Nairobi, our list of holiday camps in Nairobi for December 2026 can help you plan the weeks you are still at work.

How December 2027 compares

In 2027 the calendar changes. Jamhuri Day falls on Sunday 12 December 2027, so under section 4 Monday 13 December 2027 becomes the public holiday. Christmas Day 2027 is a Saturday and Boxing Day a Sunday, so Monday 27 December 2027 becomes the holiday in place of Boxing Day. That makes December 2027 a better month for long weekends than December 2026, and it is worth noting now if you can carry leave forward.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

What are the December 2026 public holidays in Kenya?

Three: Jamhuri Day on Saturday 12 December, Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December. New Year’s Day is on Friday 1 January 2027.

Is Monday 14 December 2026 a public holiday?

No, not unless the Interior Cabinet Secretary gazettes it. The Public Holidays Act only moves holidays that fall on a Sunday.

Is Monday 28 December 2026 a holiday?

No. Boxing Day falls on Saturday 26 December 2026, and Saturday holidays are not moved. Many people book 28 to 31 December as leave to get a ten-day break.

Do I get double pay if I work on Jamhuri Day?

Under the Regulation of Wages (General) Order, work on a public holiday is paid at twice the normal hourly rate. Your contract, wage order or collective agreement may give more.

Where can I confirm a new holiday?

Any change to the December 2026 public holidays would be announced in the Kenya Gazette. Check it or official statements from the Ministry of Interior. We update our holiday guides when a notice is published.