Public Holidays in Uganda 2026 – National & Public Holidays
Public holidays in Uganda in 2026 include statutory national holidays, Christian and Islamic religious holidays, and special public holidays declared for particular national events. Uganda’s Public Holidays Act provides the legal framework for nationwide public holidays, while the President may also declare additional public holidays. Dates linked to the Islamic calendar may depend on an official announcement or moon sighting.
Next Public Holiday in Uganda
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2026 | Friday | Independence Day | Confirmed |
Public Holidays in Uganda 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Confirmed |
| January 15, 2026 | Thursday | Special Public Holiday – General Elections | Confirmed |
| January 16, 2026 | Friday | Special Public Holiday – General Elections | Confirmed |
| January 26, 2026 | Monday | NRM Liberation Day | Confirmed |
| February 16, 2026 | Monday | Archbishop Janani Luwum Day | Confirmed |
| March 8, 2026 | Sunday | International Women’s Day | Confirmed |
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | Eid al-Fitr | Officially Scheduled |
| April 3, 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Confirmed |
| April 6, 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Confirmed |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Confirmed |
| May 12, 2026 | Tuesday | Presidential Swearing-In Public Holiday | Confirmed |
| May 27, 2026 | Wednesday | Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| June 3, 2026 | Wednesday | Martyrs’ Day | Confirmed |
| June 9, 2026 | Tuesday | National Heroes Day | Confirmed |
| October 9, 2026 | Friday | Independence Day | Confirmed |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Confirmed |
| December 26, 2026 | Saturday | Boxing Day | Confirmed |
How Public Holidays Are Defined in Uganda
Uganda’s Public Holidays Act, Chapter 174 provides the main legal basis for public holidays. The Act states that the holidays included in its statutory schedule are to be observed as public holidays throughout Uganda.
The legislation also gives the President authority to declare an additional day a public holiday. A special declaration can apply throughout Uganda or be limited to a particular area or place.
Special Public Holidays in Uganda in 2026
Uganda had additional one-off public holidays in 2026 that were separate from the country’s recurring annual holiday calendar.
General Election Public Holidays
The Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2026 public holiday calendar identifies 15 and 16 January 2026 as special public holidays associated with the General Elections.
The Electoral Commission scheduled the presidential and directly elected parliamentary polls for 15 January 2026. The special holiday arrangements therefore formed part of an exceptional election-period calendar rather than the recurring statutory schedule.
Presidential Swearing-In Public Holiday
Tuesday, 12 May 2026 was separately declared a public holiday for the Presidential Swearing-In Ceremony. The Uganda Media Centre public notice confirms the declaration for the inauguration ceremony.
This was a one-off public holiday for the 2026 presidential inauguration and should not be treated as an annually recurring holiday.
Religious Public Holidays in Uganda
Uganda’s public holiday system recognizes both Christian and Islamic religious holidays. Christian public holidays include Good Friday, Easter Monday and Christmas Day, while Islamic holidays recognized by the statutory framework include Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Birth of Prophet Muhammed Day.
Christian Holidays
Good Friday and Easter Monday move each year according to the Christian Easter calendar. In 2026, Uganda’s official holiday calendar places Good Friday on 3 April and Easter Monday on 6 April.
Christmas Day is observed on 25 December and Boxing Day on 26 December.
Islamic Holiday Dates
Islamic public holiday dates require additional care because their observance can depend on the lunar calendar and official religious or government confirmation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calendar notes that Islamic holidays are observed on officially announced dates.
Eid al-Fitr was scheduled for 20 March 2026 in the official 2026 calendar, subject to moon sighting. Eid al-Adha was observed on 27 May 2026; the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council records national Eid al-Adha prayers at the National Mosque in Kampala on that date.
Birth of Prophet Muhammed Day
Birth of Prophet Muhammed Day is named in Uganda’s Public Holidays Act as a statutory public holiday. Unlike fixed-date holidays such as Independence Day or Christmas Day, its Gregorian date depends on the Islamic calendar.
A sufficiently authoritative Uganda-specific announcement establishing the exact 2026 date has not been identified for this dataset. The date should therefore not be estimated or treated as confirmed until an appropriate official announcement is available.
Can Uganda Declare Additional Public Holidays?
Yes. Section 2 of the Public Holidays Act allows the President to declare additional public holidays beyond those contained in the statutory schedule. The President may declare the holiday nationwide or limit its application to a particular part of Uganda.
The 2026 presidential swearing-in holiday is an example of a special one-off holiday declared for a specific national event.
Are Public Holidays Paid in Uganda?
Uganda’s Public Holidays Act contains specific provisions on remuneration for public holidays. It generally requires an employer to pay an employee the full remuneration that would have been payable for a full working day if the day had not been a public holiday.
The legislation also allows an exceptional public holiday declared by the President to be designated as unpaid if the declaration expressly says so. The exact employment consequences can therefore depend on the legal basis and wording of a particular special holiday declaration.
Are Government Offices Closed on Public Holidays in Uganda?
Uganda’s Public Service Standing Orders provide that government ministries, departments and local governments observe public holidays under the Public Holidays Act. Government offices are normally closed on public holidays, subject to essential services and official operational requirements.
Public officers who are required to remain on duty because of service requirements may be given another day off in accordance with the applicable public service rules.
What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
A weekend date should not automatically be converted into a Monday substitute holiday without an official basis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2026 calendar states that where a public holiday falls on a weekend, an officially designated substitute day will apply.
This means travellers, workers and employers should check the relevant government announcement rather than assuming that every Saturday or Sunday holiday automatically creates a replacement day.
Important Public Holidays in Uganda
NRM Liberation Day
NRM Liberation Day is observed on 26 January. It appears in Uganda’s official government holiday calendars and commemorates the events associated with the change of government in January 1986.
Archbishop Janani Luwum Day
Archbishop Janani Luwum Day is observed on 16 February and is included in Uganda’s statutory public holiday framework.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is a public holiday in Uganda on 8 March. In 2026, the date falls on a Sunday.
Labour Day
Labour Day is observed on 1 May and is part of Uganda’s national public holiday calendar.
Martyrs’ Day
Uganda Martyrs’ Day is observed on 3 June. It is a nationally recognized public holiday and an important date in Uganda’s religious and historical calendar.
National Heroes Day
National Heroes Day is observed on 9 June and commemorates people recognized for their contribution and service to Uganda.
Independence Day
Uganda celebrates Independence Day on 9 October. The date is fixed in the statutory public holiday schedule and marks Uganda’s independence in 1962.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the next public holiday in Uganda?
The next public holiday changes during the year. Check the Next Public Holiday in Uganda section above for the current VisaBoards database-generated result.
How many public holiday dates does Uganda have in 2026?
The verified VisaBoards dataset currently contains 17 dated nationwide public holiday entries for Uganda in 2026. This includes the two January election holidays and the one-off presidential swearing-in holiday. Birth of Prophet Muhammed Day is legally recognized but is not included in that total because an authoritative Uganda-specific 2026 Gregorian date has not yet been established for the dataset.
Were 15 and 16 January 2026 public holidays in Uganda?
Yes. Uganda’s official Ministry of Foreign Affairs calendar identifies 15 and 16 January 2026 as special public holidays associated with the General Elections.
Was 12 May 2026 a public holiday in Uganda?
Yes. The Uganda Media Centre confirmed that 12 May 2026 was declared a public holiday for the Presidential Swearing-In Ceremony.
When was Eid al-Fitr in Uganda in 2026?
Uganda’s official 2026 Ministry of Foreign Affairs calendar scheduled Eid al-Fitr for 20 March 2026, subject to moon sighting and official confirmation of Islamic holiday dates.
When was Eid al-Adha in Uganda in 2026?
Eid al-Adha was observed on 27 May 2026. The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council records the national Eid prayers at the National Mosque in Kampala on that date.
Is the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday a public holiday in Uganda?
Yes. Birth of Prophet Muhammed Day is included in the public holiday schedule under Uganda’s Public Holidays Act. Its exact Gregorian date varies according to the Islamic calendar and should be entered into the 2026 holiday database only after appropriate confirmation.
Can Uganda announce additional public holidays?
Yes. The Public Holidays Act allows the President to declare additional public holidays and to specify whether a declaration applies nationwide or only in a particular area.
Are public holidays paid in Uganda?
Uganda’s Public Holidays Act generally provides for full remuneration in respect of public holidays. A special holiday declared by the President can be treated differently if the declaration expressly states that it is unpaid.
Does Uganda automatically move weekend public holidays to Monday?
Do not assume an automatic Monday replacement. Official government information should be checked for a specifically designated substitute day when a holiday falls on a weekend.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Uganda
- Uganda Public Holidays Act, Chapter 174 establishes the statutory public holiday framework, recurring holidays, presidential declaration powers and remuneration provisions.
- Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs Public Holidays 2026 – provides official 2026 dates for Uganda’s principal holidays and the January election holidays.
- Uganda Media Centre Presidential Swearing In Public Holiday confirms the special public holiday declared for 12 May 2026.
- Uganda Muslim Supreme Council Eid al-Adha 2026 confirms national Eid al-Adha observance on 27 May 2026.
