National Assembly Majority Leader and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah has proposed scrapping Utamaduni Day as a public holiday.
Through the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments)(No.2) Bill, 2023 tabled in Parliament, the MP is looking to amend the Public Holidays Act, to do away with the holiday celebrated on October 10.
"The bill proposes to amend the Public Holidays Act to delete the provision of Utamaduni Day as a public holiday," reads part of the bill.
Utamaduni Day was introduced in 2019 by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in honour of the late President Daniel Arap Moi.
The holiday was fronted to replace Moi Day which was celebrated on the same day Utamaduni Day is.
The government initially renamed Boxing Day to Utamaduni Day but later decided to reassign the holiday to the former Moi Day. This was informed by global laws that dictate that a specific country cannot rename a globally recognised holiday.
Utamaduni Day was first celebrated on December 26, 2019, but on October 10, 2020, in the subsequent years.
Moi Day was scrapped in 2017 after various publics raised questions about its relevance. However, a court ruling ordered for is reinstatement and renaming.
The number of public holidays in the country has been an issue of discussion with a section of leaders arguing the calendar has excess holidays.
Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has already declared Monday, November 13 which was met with mixed reactions from Kenyans.
Away from public holidays, Ichung'wah's Bill if approved, will change several statutes including the Advocates Act, Traffic Act, Employment Act 2007, Sexual Offences Act 2006, Universities Act, Privatization Act, Energy Act 2019, Copyright Act 2001, Children's Act 2022 among others.
In the new regulations under the Children's Act 2022, a sole male applicant will be able to adopt a child.
