Kenya: MPs Divided on Petition to Create a Public Holiday for Prayers

By Davis Ayega

Nairobi — A petition by a Kenyan to have a day set aside as a public holiday for national prayers elicited mixed reactions on the floor of the National Assembly on Thursday leaving legislators split over its logic.

In his petition before the House, Isaac Njuguna Ng'aru said he is convinced that the day if set will go a long way in addressing recurring or ongoing challenges facing the nation such as the COVID-19 pandemic, mysterious accidents, suicides, immoral behaviours, locusts invasion and many more.

Ng'aru cited an event in 1997 when late President Daniel Moi called the nation together for prayer at Uhuru Park in the face of persistent drought and starvation, and avers that the heavens opened and rain fell immediately after the prayers.

He also proposed a week-long prayer week across the country on diverse national concerns which shall then culminate in the National Prayer Day.

The legislators who supported the petition said it was timely and ought to be implemented while those who opposed it said it was unnecessary.

Nominated MP David Sankok noted that Kenya is a prayerful nation and a day should be set aside just for that.

"If it must be a national holiday let it be because if we can give God one day of our 365 days I think it is worth it," he said.

Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie reminded his colleagues that the globe is evolving into a spiritual realm and setting a single day to be a national holiday where Kenyans pray is the right thing to do.

"I do hope that we shall institute a day of national prayers because we have given and acknowledged many other things that are less important than the creator of mankind," he said.

Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali said the proposal should be enacted as it would provide a platform for Kenyans to turn to their God and pray for their problems to be solved.

"You will agree with me that we have more problems than only peace. We have poverty and Kenyans need to pray for Kenyans to have school fees and even pray on the escalating fuel prices," he said.

Lamu County Woman Representative Ruweida Mohammed said that the day would be a special one as it would help the nation re-connect with God.

"We need to get close to God because we are not perfect," he said.

Rarieda MP Otiende Omollo however, opposed the appeal noting that it served no logic.

"Every week we at least have two days. We Catholics have Sunday, the Seventh Day Adventists have Saturday our Muslim brothers and sisters do not have any day but they pray on Friday. So why do we need a public holiday to pray?" he posed adding that the existing holidays are too many and ought to be reduced.

Tharaka MP George Gitonga said Kenyans were entitled to pray at any given time and so setting a day aside to would be needless.

"Let the day instead be marked during Huduma day where Kenyans can pray and work," he said.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan said Kenya cannot afford another public holiday yet the levels of unemployment are at an all-time high.

"We need more jobs, not public holidays," he said.

Kenya only marks the Annual Prayer Breakfast, an occasion that is hosted by Parliament and is traditionally held annually on the last Thursday of May.

The purpose of the National Prayer Breakfast is to meet, engage, interact and together pray for the nation in the company of fellow leaders from all sectors of society.

According to the Public Holidays Act, Kenya has 13 National Holidays which are marked annually.

They include: New Years Day (1 January), Good Friday (March or April), Easter Monday (March or April), Labour Day (1 May), Madaraka Day (1 June), Idd-ul-Fitr (date marked depending upon the appearance of the moon).

Others are: Utamaduni Day (October 10), Mashujaa Day (October 20), Jamhuri Day (December 12), Christmas (December 25), Boxing Day (December 26), Idd-ul-Azha (date marked depending upon the appearance of the moon) and Diwali which is also marked depending upon the appearance of the moon.

Speaker Justin Muturi has transmitted the petition to the departmental Committee on Administration and Security that will now consider it and report its findings before the House.

This article originally appeared on Capital FM.

Photo: All africa