Editor's Review

This year's Madaraka Day was held at Embu County's Moi Stadium.

The venue for the oncoming national celebrations has been unveiled by the government.

Mashujaa Day will be marked on October 20, four months after Madaraka Day.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has announced that Kericho County will host the October celebrations.

The CS said the decision to choose the said county was after a series of consultations with the relevant authorities in government.

President William Ruto inspecting a guard of honour.

This year's Mashujaa Day, the CS said, would be themed on Universal Health Care which is part of President William Ruto's key pillars.

"After consultations, this year's Mashujaa Day will be celebrated in Kericho County, on Friday 20th October, 2023. The theme of the celebrations will be "Universal Health Care". In this regard, please note that the Thematic Committee should start the process of designing activities leading to the launch of the UHC programme at the venue," said Kindiki in his communique.

The idea to distribute national holidays among counties was conceived during former president Uhuru Kenyatta's tenure. 

Initially, all national holidays were honoured in the Nairobi capital.

Kenya marks four national fetes important to its history; Madaraka Day is marked on June 1 to recognize the day Kenya attained its internal self-rule, October 20's Mashujaa Day to appreciate the effort of those who fought for independence and Jamhuri Day on December 12 to celebrate when Kenya became an independent republic.