The United States Embassy in Kenya will be inaccessible on Monday, January 20, in observance of a significant national American holiday.
In a statement on their official X account, the US Embassy announced that it would be closed to mark Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
“The embassy will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,” the statement read.
This marks the second time in January 2025 that the US Embassy has closed on a weekday due to an American observance.
A photo of the entrance to the US Embassy in Gigiri, Nairobi.
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US Embassy
On January 8, normal services at the Embassy were disrupted in observance of the national day of mourning for the late former US President Jimmy Carter.
Carter, who was the oldest living former President of the United States, passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Florida. He was subsequently honoured with a state funeral in Washington.
The closure on Monday means Kenyans seeking urgent consular services, such as passport replacements, visa processing, and citizenship matters, will have to wait until Tuesday to access the embassy.
Individuals requiring services from federal institutions in the US or travelling to the US are also expected to face delays until at least Tuesday.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday observed in the United States on the third Monday of January each year. The day is dedicated to remembering and celebrating Dr Martin Luther King Jr., renowned for his relentless fight for racial equality.
In the US, thousands of citizens are expected to volunteer in service projects across the country. National parks will waive entrance fees for everyone in the US on Monday.
Notably, MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, encouraging US citizens to participate in volunteer causes as a way of giving back to society.
Other US holidays that typically result in the US Embassy in Kenya suspending operations for 24 hours include the Fourth of July Independence Day celebrations and Columbus Day, which commemorates Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage.
On the last Monday of May, the Embassy also closes for 24 hours to honour the US men and women who lost their lives while serving the country.
An undated image of security officers manning the US Embassy in Kenya.
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U.S Embassy