By Bonface Mulyungi

The United States Embassy in Nairobi has announced it will temporarily close its doors to the public on Monday, June 1, 2026, in observance of Madaraka Day.

In a notice, the mission said normal operations will resume on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

The announcement means all routine services at the embassy will be temporarily suspended for the one-day public holiday before reopening the following day.

The 2026 national Madaraka Day celebrations will be held at the newly constructed Wajir Stadium in Wajir County.

This marks the first time in Kenya’s history that the national event is being hosted in the Northern region

Madaraka Day (“Internal self-rule” or Self-Governance Day) is a national holiday that is celebrated every June 1 in every year in the Republic of Kenya.

It commemorates the day in 1963 that Kenya attained internal self-rule after being a British colony since 1920.

Kenya only attained partial independence on this day in 1963 and did not become a fully established republic until about a year and a half later, on 12 December 1964.

In recognition of that, Kenya also celebrates Jamhuri Day (Republic Day) on 12 December every year. Madaraka is a Swahili word for “authority, ruling power”.