Public Holidays in Rwanda 2026 – National & Public Holidays

Rwanda’s public holidays in 2026 include fixed national and religious holidays, movable Christian holidays, two Islamic holidays whose dates are announced annually, and substitute days created by Rwanda’s weekend replacement rule. The official framework is established by Presidential Order N° 062/01 of 19/10/2022 on official mission, delegation of powers and public holidays.

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Next Public Holiday in Rwanda

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
December 25, 2026	Friday	Christmas Day	Confirmed

Public Holidays in Rwanda 2026

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
January 1, 2026	Thursday	New Year’s Day	Confirmed
January 2, 2026	Friday	Day after New Year’s Day	Confirmed
February 1, 2026	Sunday	National Heroes’ Day	Confirmed
February 2, 2026	Monday	National Heroes’ Day – Substitute Holiday	Confirmed
March 20, 2026	Friday	Eid El Fitr	Confirmed
April 3, 2026	Friday	Good Friday	Confirmed
April 6, 2026	Monday	Easter Monday	Confirmed
April 7, 2026	Tuesday	Memorial Day of Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994	Confirmed
May 1, 2026	Friday	Labour Day	Confirmed
May 27, 2026	Wednesday	Eid Al-Adha	Confirmed
July 1, 2026	Wednesday	Independence Day	Confirmed
July 4, 2026	Saturday	Liberation Day	Confirmed
July 6, 2026	Monday	Liberation Day – Substitute Holiday	Confirmed
August 7, 2026	Friday	Umuganura Day	Confirmed
August 15, 2026	Saturday	Assumption Day	Confirmed
August 17, 2026	Monday	Assumption Day – Substitute Holiday	Confirmed
December 25, 2026	Friday	Christmas Day	Confirmed
December 26, 2026	Saturday	Boxing Day	Confirmed
December 28, 2026	Monday	Boxing Day – Substitute Holiday	Confirmed

How Public Holidays Are Determined in Rwanda

Rwanda’s official public-holiday system is set out in Presidential Order N° 062/01 of 19/10/2022. Article 27 identifies the country’s official public holidays, including New Year’s Day, National Heroes’ Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Memorial Day of the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994, Labour Day, Independence Day, Liberation Day, Umuganura Day, Assumption Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Eid El Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.

Most of these holidays have fixed calendar dates. Good Friday and Easter Monday move with the Christian Easter calendar, while Eid El Fitr and Eid Al-Adha are announced annually by the Rwanda Muslim Community.

Substitute Public Holidays in Rwanda

Rwanda has a statutory weekend replacement rule. Under Article 28 of Presidential Order N° 062/01, when an official public holiday falls on a weekend, the following working day becomes a public holiday.

The exception is 7 April, the Memorial Day of the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994. The Presidential Order specifically excludes this date from the general weekend-substitution provision.

The Order also addresses situations involving consecutive holidays. When two consecutive public holidays fall on a weekend, they are compensated by one working-day public holiday. Additional rules apply if the following working day is itself already a public holiday.

Religious Holidays in Rwanda

Good Friday and Easter Monday

Good Friday and Easter Monday are official public holidays in Rwanda. Their calendar dates change each year because they are linked to Easter. In 2026, Good Friday falls on 3 April and Easter Monday falls on 6 April.

Eid El Fitr and Eid Al-Adha

Eid El Fitr and Eid Al-Adha are official public holidays under Rwanda’s Presidential Order, but their dates are not permanently fixed in the Gregorian calendar. The Order states that the date of each holiday is announced annually by the Rwanda Muslim Community.

For 2026, Eid El Fitr was observed on 20 March and Eid Al-Adha was observed on 27 May. Future-year dates should not be treated as confirmed until the relevant annual announcement is made.

Umuganura Day in Rwanda

Umuganura is an official public holiday associated with Rwanda’s traditional harvest celebration. The governing Presidential Order defines Umuganura Day as the Friday of the first week of August rather than as a permanently fixed numbered date.

Applying that statutory rule to the 2026 calendar places Umuganura Day on Friday, 7 August 2026.

Long Weekends in Rwanda in 2026

Several 2026 public holidays create extended breaks without requiring an additional annual-leave day. New Year’s Day and the Day after New Year’s Day fall on Thursday and Friday, while Good Friday and Easter Monday create the Easter weekend period.

National Heroes’ Day falls on Sunday and is followed by a substitute public holiday on Monday, 2 February. Liberation Day falls on Saturday and is followed by a substitute holiday on Monday, 6 July. Assumption Day falls on Saturday and is followed by a substitute holiday on Monday, 17 August.

Boxing Day falls on Saturday, 26 December, so the following working day, Monday, 28 December, is a substitute public holiday under the weekend rule.

What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend in Rwanda?

Except for the 7 April Genocide Memorial Day, Rwanda generally transfers a public holiday that falls on a weekend to the following working day. This rule is established by Article 28 of Presidential Order N° 062/01 of 19/10/2022.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the next public holiday in Rwanda?

The next public holiday changes throughout the year. The live Next Public Holiday section near the top of this page uses the VisaBoards holiday database to show the current upcoming holiday.

Is 2 January a public holiday in Rwanda?

Yes. The Day after New Year’s Day on 2 January is expressly listed as an official public holiday under Rwanda’s Presidential Order.

Does Rwanda give a substitute holiday when a public holiday falls on a weekend?

Yes. With the specific exception of the 7 April Genocide Memorial Day, the following working day becomes a public holiday when an official public holiday falls on the weekend.

Is National Heroes’ Day observed on 2 February in 2026?

National Heroes’ Day itself is 1 February. Because 1 February 2026 falls on a Sunday, Monday, 2 February is also a public holiday under Rwanda’s weekend replacement rule.

When is Umuganura Day in Rwanda in 2026?

Umuganura Day falls on Friday, 7 August 2026. Rwanda’s Presidential Order defines it as the Friday of the first week of August.

How are Eid holiday dates determined in Rwanda?

Eid El Fitr and Eid Al-Adha are statutory public holidays, but Rwanda’s Presidential Order states that their dates are announced annually by the Rwanda Muslim Community. They should therefore not be treated as fixed Gregorian dates for future years before confirmation.

When was Eid El Fitr observed in Rwanda in 2026?

Eid El Fitr was observed on Friday, 20 March 2026. The date was announced for Rwanda before the celebration, and national Eid prayers were held that day.

When was Eid Al-Adha observed in Rwanda in 2026?

Eid Al-Adha was observed on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, with national celebrations and Eid prayers taking place in Rwanda on that date.

Does 7 April receive a substitute holiday when it falls on a weekend?

No. Article 28 expressly excludes the Memorial Day of the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994 on 7 April from the normal weekend replacement rule.

Official Sources for Public Holidays in Rwanda

The primary legal source for Rwanda’s public holidays is Presidential Order N° 062/01 of 19/10/2022 on official mission, delegation of powers and public holidays, published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda. Article 27 establishes the official holidays and Article 28 sets out the weekend replacement rules.

The Government of Rwanda also maintains a public-holidays page. Where an online calendar conflicts with the governing Presidential Order, the statutory rule and official legal text provide the stronger basis for determining the holiday.