Ruto gifts Muslim faithful goats ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations

Deputy President William Ruto has donated goats to the Kenya Council of Imams and Ulamaa as a gift ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.

Landhies Mosque leader Sheikh Ahmed Athman among others received the gift on Wednesday at the DP’s residence in Karen, Nairobi.

Muslims will be celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday to mark the end of Ramadan.

Interior CS Fred Matiang’i declared Friday, May 14, a public holiday in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 2 (1) of the Public Holidays Act.

Ruto paid tribute to the Muslims for their commitment and sacrifice to engage in the month-long intense spiritual renewal marked by prayers, fasting, and introspection.

“May the blessings you received during Ramadan be with you in the year ahead,” Ruto said.

Eid-ul-Fitr, the Festival of Fast-breaking, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

Muslims will gather in mosques or open spaces and offer two units of prayer – called "Rakat".

The prayers are followed by a sermon, in which the imam asks for forgiveness, mercy, and peace for every being across the world.

The celebrations will be marked under the Covid-19 pandemic that has changed the normal way of celebrations.

In last year's celebrations, Muslim faithful marked the day indoors following the guidelines from the government that saw all the places of worship in the country being shut down to reduce the spread of coronavirus.