Many Muslims in Kenya have been celebrating Eid al-Adha despite a dispute over the date of the Muslim festival.

Also known as the “feast of the sacrifice”, it coincides with the time when Muslims travel to the Saudi city of Mecca to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.

Hundreds of people have gathered at various places around Kenya to pray together.

It has been declared a public holiday in Kenya – and is a day when Muslims recall the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.

But Ahmed Muhdhar, the chief Islamic affairs adviser to the government - a position known as chief Kadhi, felt the holiday should have been held on Wednesday instead.

The dispute hinges over when the new moon was sighted, heralding the start of the Hajj.

For those who saw it on Sunday, Eid falls on Tuesday – but in areas where it was seen on Monday, the festival is marked on Wednesday.

However, this year most Muslims around the world are celebrating on Tuesday.

The chief Kadhi’s Wednesday ruling has angered some Muslim politicians in Kenya, who accuse him of sowing disunity.

Aden Duale, the majority leader in Kenya’s National Assembly, tweeted that the chief Kadhi was operating "outside his mandate".