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.
The holiday was established at the federal level in 1934, while legislation introducing the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved its observance to the second Monday of October from 1971.
Columbus’s voyages have long been celebrated in the United States as part of the country’s historical and cultural heritage, particularly among Italian-American communities.
However, the holiday has also attracted criticism over the consequences of European colonisation for Indigenous peoples in the Americas, including dispossession, violence and the disruption of existing societies.
The debate has led some states and local authorities to observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of, or alongside, Columbus Day.
The alternative observance recognises the history, cultures and contributions of Indigenous communities and highlights the impact of European settlement.
Despite the debate surrounding its historical significance, Columbus Day remains on the US federal holiday calendar.
The Nairobi embassy’s announcement means visitors seeking consular or other embassy services should plan around Monday’s closure and check official embassy channels for service updates or appointment arrangements.
