Labour Day 2025, 2026 and 2027 in Rwanda

Labour Day in Rwanda is celebrated with a holiday every 1 May. However, it is perhaps not nearly so important a holiday as it once was.

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2025	1 May	Thu	Labour Day
2026	1 May	Fri	Labour Day
2027	1 May	Sat	Labour Day
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

In years gone by, the arrival of 1 May meant big parades, decorative floats, and creative costumes. Today, while some of this old spirit survives, the usual events are quite a bit tamer. Many companies hold discussions with their employees instead of watching them march and protest in the streets.

Historically, the origin of the holiday is the 4 May 1886 Haymarket Massacre during a labour protest in Chicago, USA. As the world industrialised in the mid to late 1800’s, the dismal working conditions in many factories led to a protest movement.

The Haymarket Massacre became a key moment in the movement, leading to the establishment of Labour Day, then called “International Workers Day”, to demand things like an 8-hour work day, safer working conditions, and increased pay.

Previous Years

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2024	1 May	Wed	Labour Day
2023	1 May	Mon	Labour Day