Atheists in Kenya Society, on Thursday evening, wrote a letter to the state demanding that February 17 is set aside and declared a public holiday for them to celebrate their beliefs.
This comes just hours after Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, declared Monday, 12, as a public holiday to mark Eid-Ul-Adha.
The letter, which was signed by Harrison Mumia, the society's president, argued that the dominant religions (Christianity and Muslim) enjoyed the privilege hence creating a social inequity.
"We take note that Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has declared Monday, August 12, a public holiday to mark Eid-Ul-Adha, the Islamic festival of sacrifice.
"This declaration amounts to religious privilege that the dominant religions in Kenya (Christians and Muslims) have enjoyed since independence, courtesy of the Kenyan Government and the current Constitution," read the letter in part.
"In order to end this social inequity that is rooted in history and the normalization of Christianity and Islam as the de facto religions in Kenya, we demand that CS Fred Matiangi declare February 17th as an atheist holiday," it continued.
Mumia further divulged that as long as they lacked a public holiday, they will be considered as an underclass.
"As it stands today, atheists are considered an underclass in this country, yet our constitution protects freedom of belief and conscience," he lamented.
The atheists launched a similar complaint in 2018 accusing the government of sidelining the non-believers to preach their belief that God does not exist but as it stands, their wish was not granted.
AIK was registered as a Society in February 17, 2016 under the Societies Act, Cap 108.
Dr Johansen Oduor Withdraws From Albert Ojwang’s Autopsy Breaking News
