Why US embassy in Nairobi will remain closed on Monday

In a notice, the embassy said it would suspend operations on October 12 to mark the colombus holiday

The United States Embassy in Nairobi has announced temporary closure on Monday, October 12, 2026, in observance of Columbus Day, a US federal holiday.

In a notice, the embassy said it would suspend operations for the day to mark the holiday.

“The U.S. Embassy will be closed on Monday, 12th October 2026 in observance of Columbus Day,” the notice stated.

Columbus Day is a US federal holiday observed on the second Monday of October each year.

It commemorates Italian explorer Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492, following his voyage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean.

The event is traditionally associated with the beginning of sustained European contact with the Americas.

Columbus Day is recognised under US law, with the date falling on October 12 this year.

Source: The Star