Festival of lights
Diwali in Kenya 2026
Diwali 2026: Sunday, 8 November 2026
Dates and venues checked against the organisers’ own pages on .
Diwali 2026 in Kenya is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The sun sets at 6:21 pm in Nairobi. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening after sunset, in the pradosh period — roughly the first two and a half hours after it; the lamps are lit as it gets dark.
Diwali is not a public holiday in Kenya. At State House in October 2024 President Ruto told Hindu leaders his government would decide on making it one by the next Diwali, and that a change would have to go to Parliament; it is not on 2026’s list of public holidays. Diwali 2026 is Sunday 8 November, so families celebrate on the day itself, with the Lakshmi Puja in the evening. The Hindu Council of Kenya, the community’s umbrella body, lists its programmes on hck.or.ke; its events page said on 30 October 2026 that no activities or events were scheduled.
Fireworks need a licence from the State Department for Mining. For Diwali 2025 the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs allowed displays only from 17 to 20 October, 7pm to 11pm, at clubs, hotels, temples, sports grounds and school compounds or other sites cleared by an Inspector of Explosives, with shells in built-up areas capped at four inches; no notice for 2026 had been found on the State Department for Mining’s website by 30 October.
Sunset on Diwali 2026 in Kenya
Sunday, 8 November 2026 · local time, worked out for each city centre
| City | Sunset |
|---|---|
| Nairobi | 6:21 pm |
Diwali 2026 dates
Friday, 6 November
Dhanteras
Saturday, 7 November
Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)
Sunday, 8 November
Diwali — Lakshmi Puja
Monday, 9 November
Govardhan Puja and Annakut
Tuesday, 10 November
Bhai Dooj
Diwali events in Kenya0 listed
Where to celebrate Diwali in Kenya, city by city
Diwali in Nairobi
Nairobi’s Diwali is kept in the city’s temples, community halls and homes. The Hindu Council of Kenya, the umbrella body, has its office in Nairobi and lists its programmes on hck.or.ke, where none was scheduled on 30 October 2026; President Ruto hosted Hindus at State House in October 2024. Diwali itself is Sunday 8 November, a weekend day, with the Lakshmi Puja in the evening.
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What Diwali is
The biggest night of the Indian year: lamps, sweets, new clothes and fireworks. Abroad it is celebrated over the surrounding weekends, with one large public event in most big cities.
Diwali marks the return of Rama to Ayodhya and the victory of light over darkness; for many families it is also the day of Lakshmi Puja and the start of a new business year. Homes are cleaned and lit with diyas, sweets are exchanged, and the evening ends with fireworks.
If it is your first one in Kenya
- Book restaurant tables two weeks ahead — the Diwali weekend fills every Indian restaurant in town.
- Check local fireworks rules before buying any; most European towns restrict them to New Year.
- Sweets (mithai) can be ordered from Indian grocers a week ahead; many deliver nationwide.
- The big city events sell tickets in advance and sell out; children under a certain age are usually free.
Questions people ask
- When is Diwali 2026 in Kenya?
- Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. It is not a public holiday in Kenya, so the community celebrates on the weekends around it — events are listed on this page as organisers post them, usually four to six weeks ahead.
- What time is sunset on Diwali 2026 in Kenya?
- On Sunday, 8 November 2026, the sun sets at 6:21 pm in Nairobi. The times are worked out for each city centre with a flat horizon, as every published table gives them; behind buildings or hills it appears a few minutes later. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening after sunset, in the pradosh period — roughly the first two and a half hours after it; the lamps are lit as it gets dark.
- Where can I celebrate Diwali in Kenya?
- Diwali is not a public holiday in Kenya. At State House in October 2024 President Ruto told Hindu leaders his government would decide on making it one by the next Diwali, and that a change would have to go to Parliament; it is not on 2026’s list of public holidays. Diwali 2026 is Sunday 8 November, so families celebrate on the day itself, with the Lakshmi Puja in the evening. The Hindu Council of Kenya, the community’s umbrella body, lists its programmes on hck.or.ke; its events page said on 30 October 2026 that no activities or events were scheduled.
- Can non-Indians go to Diwali events in Kenya?
- Yes. Almost every community event is open to everyone and runs in English; temple and gurdwara celebrations welcome visitors too — dress modestly, and cover your head in a gurdwara.
- Is Diwali a public holiday in Kenya?
- No. At State House in October 2024 President Ruto said his government would decide on making Diwali a public holiday by the next Diwali, and that a change would have to go to Parliament; it is not on 2026’s list of public holidays. In 2026 Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November.
- Is there a Diwali festival in Nairobi in 2026?
- No public programme for 2026 had been published by 30 October: the Hindu Council of Kenya’s events page listed none, so check with Nairobi’s temples and community associations directly. Diwali itself is Sunday 8 November, with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November.
- Can I light fireworks for Diwali in Kenya?
- Only with a licence. Displays need a licence from the State Department for Mining or a County Mining Office. For Diwali 2025 the ministry allowed displays from 17 to 20 October, 7pm to 11pm, at clubs, hotels, temples, sports grounds, school compounds or sites cleared by an Inspector of Explosives, with shells in built-up areas capped at four inches; no notice for 2026 had been found on the State Department for Mining’s website by 30 October.
- What date is Diwali in Kenya in 2026?
- Sunday 8 November 2026. Dhanteras is Friday 6 November, Govardhan Puja Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj Tuesday 10 November.
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