NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 19 – The United States Embassy in Nairobi will be closed on Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal public holiday in the United States that honours the life and enduring legacy of one of the country’s most influential civil rights leaders.
During the closure, routine consular services including visa processing, passport services and general public inquiries will not be available.
Normal operations are expected to resume on Tuesday. However, the embassy said emergency services for US citizens will remain available, covering urgent cases such as loss of travel documents,serious illness, arrest or death.
Marked annually on the third Monday of January, the holiday commemorates Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s leadership in the struggle against racial segregation and discrimination, and his role in shaping landmark civil rights reforms in the 1950s and 1960s.
Dr King, a Baptist minister, rose to national prominence during the Montgomery Bus Boycott and went on to lead mass nonviolent protests that culminated in major legislative victories, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
He is also remembered globally for his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech delivered during the 1963 March on Washington, which called for equality, justice and peaceful coexistence across racial lines.
Beyond racial justice, the day also reflects on Dr King’s broader advocacy for economic fairness, workers’ rights and opposition to violence, themes that continue to shape conversations on social justice in the United States and around the world.
In the US, the holiday is widely observed by federal and state institutions, schools and businesses, and is often marked by community service activities, reinforcing Dr King’s belief that citizenship carries a responsibility to serve others and promote social change through peaceful means.
