Kenya's public holiday on October 10 has undergone a significant transformation, now known as Mazingira Day instead of Utamaduni Day. This change comes following the assent of President William Ruto to the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill on Wednesday.

The Bill, which amends the Public Holidays Act (Cap. 110), replaces Utamaduni Day with Mazingira Day, designated as a public holiday to be observed annually on October 10. The amendment aims to align the holiday with government efforts towards environmental protection and conservation.

According to a brief on the Bill, this change seeks to encourage Kenyans to actively participate in environmental conservation activities on Mazingira Day. This includes initiatives such as tree planting, aligning with the government's ambitious goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 to accelerate forest restoration and combat the effects of climate change.

The renaming of October 10 as Mazingira Day represents a strategic move by the Kenyan government to prioritize environmental sustainability and address the challenges posed by climate change.

It's worth noting that October 10 was previously recognized as Moi Day before being abolished by the Constitution of Kenya in 2010. However, it was reinstated by the Court in 2017 and later renamed Huduma Day. Subsequently, in 2020, then Interior and Coordination of National Government CS Fred Matiang'i gazetted it as Utamaduni Day before its recent transformation into Mazingira Day.