Public Holidays
Discover upcoming public holiday dates for Uganda and start planning to make the most of your time off.
2026 Public Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Thu | New Year's Day |
| 26 Jan | Mon | NRM Liberation Day |
| 16 Feb | Mon | Archbishop Janani Luwum Day |
| 8 Mar | Sun | International Women's Day |
| 20 Mar | Fri | Eid al-Fitr |
| 3 Apr | Fri | Good Friday |
| 5 Apr | Sun | Easter Sunday |
| 6 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday |
| 1 May | Fri | Labour Day |
| 27 May | Wed | Eid al-Adha |
| 3 Jun | Wed | Martyrs' Day |
| 9 Jun | Tue | National Heroes Day |
| 9 Oct | Fri | Independence Day |
| 25 Dec | Fri | Christmas Day |
| 26 Dec | Sat | Boxing Day |
| The dates in this table are an estimate. We will update this page once the official public holiday dates for 2026 are released. | ||
2027 Public Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Fri | New Year's Day |
| 26 Jan | Tue | NRM Liberation Day |
| 16 Feb | Tue | Archbishop Janani Luwum Day |
| 8 Mar | Mon | International Women's Day |
| 9 Mar | Tue | Eid al-Fitr |
| 26 Mar | Fri | Good Friday |
| 28 Mar | Sun | Easter Sunday |
| 29 Mar | Mon | Easter Monday |
| 1 May | Sat | Labour Day |
| 16 May | Sun | Eid al-Adha |
| 3 Jun | Thu | Martyrs' Day |
| 9 Jun | Wed | National Heroes Day |
| 9 Oct | Sat | Independence Day |
| 25 Dec | Sat | Christmas Day |
| 26 Dec | Sun | Boxing Day |
| The dates in this table are an estimate. We will update this page once the official public holiday dates for 2027 are released. | ||
2028 Public Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Sat | New Year's Day |
| 26 Jan | Wed | NRM Liberation Day |
| 16 Feb | Wed | Archbishop Janani Luwum Day |
| 26 Feb | Sat | Eid al-Fitr |
| 8 Mar | Wed | International Women's Day |
| 14 Apr | Fri | Good Friday |
| 16 Apr | Sun | Easter Sunday |
| 17 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday |
| 1 May | Mon | Labour Day |
| 5 May | Fri | Eid al-Adha |
| 3 Jun | Sat | Martyrs' Day |
| 9 Jun | Fri | National Heroes Day |
| 9 Oct | Mon | Independence Day |
| 25 Dec | Mon | Christmas Day |
| 26 Dec | Tue | Boxing Day |
| The dates in this table are an estimate. We will update this page once the official public holiday dates for 2028 are released. | ||
Since its establishment as an independent country in 1962, Uganda has created many national holidays. Holidays are established by the president and the president reserves the right to add or change any of these dates.
Many of the holidays celebrated in Uganda are based on religious celebrations. These holidays are often base on the lunar cycle or the calendar observed by the specific religion of a particular holiday. The government requires that all employers acknowledge these holidays each year regardless of the days that they fall on.
All employers are required to give employees a full day off with pay on any nationally declared holiday. If the employee is required to work due to the nature of their job, the employer must pay them for work that day and an equal amount for holiday pay or provide the employee with a different paid day off in lieu of the holiday.
All election days are considered national holidays in Uganda and occur on different days and in different years. Election day holidays are announced in the beginning of the year. If a special election must be held, an announcement will be made at least a week in advance.
