The US Embassy in Nairobi has announced it will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of a public holiday.
In a statement on Friday, January 17, the US Embassy noted that the decision is in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrated in the United States.
“The embassy will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,” announced the embassy.
The embassy however confirmed that regular activities and all services offered shall resume on Tuesday, January 21.
During this period, essential services such as US Visa information, guidance, interviews, issuance, and renewal of US passports by American citizens will be temporarily halted.
US Embassy services that will be affected
The embassy provides updates and safety information for travelers and helps in emergencies such as arrests, deaths, or financial crises of American citizens.
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Furthermore, the US embassy oversees the registration of children born abroad to U.S. citizens.
Other services the Embassy offers to its citizens include assistance with absentee voting in U.S. elections, as well as help with Social Security, Veterans Affairs, and other federal benefits.
In the United States, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is observed annually on the third Monday in January.
The day commemorates the life and work of Dr. King, who was a Baptist minister and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement.
According to Britannica, people are encouraged to use the day to “reflect on the principles of racial equality and nonviolent social change espoused by Dr. King.”
The holiday is typically observed with events such as marches and rallies and speeches by politicians and civil rights leaders.
Efforts to create a national holiday honoring King began soon after his assassination in 1968, although legislation for a federal holiday was not passed until 1983. The first nationwide observance of the holiday occurred in 1986.
United States embassies around the world also observe the day by closing their offices, with the holiday being one of the holidays observed by Americans throughout the world.
Who Announces Closure of Govt Offices
As the holidays approach, federal employees across the US always watch for announcements from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) every year about whether they’ll have an extra day off.
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If a federal holiday lands on a weekend, OPM shifts the closure to a weekday. For instance, when a holiday falls on a Saturday, the federal government will usually close on Friday.
If it’s on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes the observed holiday.
However, the OPM’s decisions apply only to federal government offices. State and local governments, including schools, have their own ways of marking holidays.
Local offices and schools operate independently, setting closures according to local needs and traditions.
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