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🇷🇼 Rwanda Public Holidays 2026

Rwanda has 15 nationwide public holidays in 2026 — 11 on a weekday and 4 at a weekend. 5 of them fall on a Friday or a Monday, so the weekend beside them runs to three days without using any leave. The full calendar is below, with the date, the weekday and the local name for every holiday, followed by a month-by-month guide to what closes.

Planning around Rwanda's holidays

On public holidays, banks, government offices and many businesses in Rwanda close, and transport may run on reduced schedules. For remote workers, holidays are a good time to explore — but a poor time to rely on local services or official appointments. Check the dates above before booking visa appointments or important meetings.

Rwanda nomad & visa guide →

Public holidays in other countries

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Is today a public holiday in Rwanda?

Checked on Wednesday 5 August 2026: no, that day is not a public holiday in Rwanda. The next public holiday in Rwanda after that date is Umuganura Day (Umunsi w'Umuganura) on Friday 7 August 2026 — 2 days later. The day after, Thursday 6 August, is not a public holiday either.

The answer above is rechecked against the published Rwanda holiday dates every time this page loads, so what it says about today and tomorrow stays current.

The next public holidays in Rwanda after 5 August 2026:

  • Umuganura Day (Umunsi w'Umuganura) — Friday 7 August 2026
  • Assumption Day (day off Mon 17 Aug) (Ijyanwa mu Ijuru rya Bikiramariya) — Saturday 15 August 2026
  • Christmas Day (Noheli) — Friday 25 December 2026
  • Boxing Day (day off Mon 28 Dec) (Umunsi ukurikira Noheli) — Saturday 26 December 2026
  • New Year's Day (Ubunani) — Friday 1 January 2027

Rwanda public holidays are also called Rwanda national holidays or the Rwanda holiday calendar. This page is the Rwanda holiday calendar for 2026, with the 2027 dates below.

🇷🇼 Rwanda's public holidays in 2026 at a glance

Rwanda has 15 nationwide public holidays in 2026. That puts Rwanda joint 27th out of the 100 countries we track, level with 8 others. The median across those 100 is 13. 11 fall on a weekday and 4 on a Saturday or Sunday. The year opens with New Year's Day on 1 January and closes with Boxing Day on 26 December. April is the busiest month with 3. Nothing at all falls in June, September, October or November. 4 substitute days off — the weekdays granted when a holiday lands at a weekend — are shown in brackets beside the holidays they replace, so those days are not counted twice. 2 dates are marked “estimated”: these follow the Islamic calendar and are confirmed only when the new moon is sighted, so the official day can move by one either way. This list covers holidays observed across the whole country. Many countries add regional or state holidays on top, and whether a given day is paid depends on your employer, so check locally before you book around it.

Rwanda public holidays in January 2026

New Year's Day (Ubunani) on 1 January and Day after New Year's Day (Umunsi ukurikira Ubunani) on 2 January.

Rwanda public holidays in February 2026

National Heroes' Day (day off Mon 2 Feb) (Umunsi w'Intwari) on 1 February.

Rwanda public holidays in March 2026

Eid al-Fitr (estimated) (Eid El Fitr (yagereranijwe)) on 20 March.

Rwanda public holidays in April 2026

Good Friday (Umunsi wa Gatanu Mutagatifu) on 3 April, Easter Monday (Ku wa mbere wa Pasika) on 6 April and Memorial Day of Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994 (Umunsi wo Kwibuka Jenoside yakorewe Abatutsi mu 1994) on 7 April.

Rwanda public holidays in May 2026

Labor Day (Umunsi Mukuru w'Umurimo) on 1 May and Eid al-Adha (estimated) (Eid al-Adha (yagereranijwe)) on 27 May.

Rwanda public holidays in June 2026

There are no public holidays in Rwanda in June 2026.

Rwanda public holidays in July 2026

Independence Day (Umunsi w'Ubwigenge) on 1 July and Liberation Day (day off Mon 6 Jul) (Umunsi wo Kwibohora) on 4 July.

Rwanda public holidays in August 2026

Umuganura Day (Umunsi w'Umuganura) on 7 August and Assumption Day (day off Mon 17 Aug) (Ijyanwa mu Ijuru rya Bikiramariya) on 15 August.

Rwanda public holidays in September 2026

There are no public holidays in Rwanda in September 2026.

Rwanda public holidays in October 2026

There are no public holidays in Rwanda in October 2026.

Rwanda public holidays in November 2026

There are no public holidays in Rwanda in November 2026.

Rwanda public holidays in December 2026

Christmas Day (Noheli) on 25 December and Boxing Day (day off Mon 28 Dec) (Umunsi ukurikira Noheli) on 26 December.

Long weekends and bridge days in Rwanda in 2026

On 5 occasions in 2026 a Rwanda holiday lands on a Friday or a Monday, which turns the adjoining weekend into a three-day break with no leave used at all.

Every Rwanda public holiday in 2026

Show the full 2026 calendar as a table
Public holidays in Rwanda in 2026
DateDayHolidayLocal name
1 JanuaryThursdayNew Year's DayUbunani
2 JanuaryFridayDay after New Year's DayUmunsi ukurikira Ubunani
1 FebruarySundayNational Heroes' Day (day off Mon 2 Feb)Umunsi w'Intwari
20 MarchFridayEid al-Fitr (estimated)Eid El Fitr (yagereranijwe)
3 AprilFridayGood FridayUmunsi wa Gatanu Mutagatifu
6 AprilMondayEaster MondayKu wa mbere wa Pasika
7 AprilTuesdayMemorial Day of Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994Umunsi wo Kwibuka Jenoside yakorewe Abatutsi mu 1994
1 MayFridayLabor DayUmunsi Mukuru w'Umurimo
27 MayWednesdayEid al-Adha (estimated)Eid al-Adha (yagereranijwe)
1 JulyWednesdayIndependence DayUmunsi w'Ubwigenge
4 JulySaturdayLiberation Day (day off Mon 6 Jul)Umunsi wo Kwibohora
7 AugustFridayUmuganura DayUmunsi w'Umuganura
15 AugustSaturdayAssumption Day (day off Mon 17 Aug)Ijyanwa mu Ijuru rya Bikiramariya
25 DecemberFridayChristmas DayNoheli
26 DecemberSaturdayBoxing Day (day off Mon 28 Dec)Umunsi ukurikira Noheli

Rwanda public holidays — common questions

How many public holidays does Rwanda have in 2026?

Rwanda has 15 nationwide public holidays in 2026, 11 of which fall on a weekday. The count covers days observed across the whole country; regional and state holidays are not included, and whether a day is paid depends on the employer.

When is the first public holiday of 2026 in Rwanda?

It is New Year's Day on 1 January, a Thursday. The last is Boxing Day on 26 December.

Which Rwanda holidays create a long weekend in 2026?

Eid al-Fitr (estimated) (Friday, 20 March), Good Friday (Friday, 3 April), Labor Day (Friday, 1 May), Umuganura Day (Friday, 7 August) and Christmas Day and Boxing Day (25 December–26 December) fall on a Friday or a Monday, so the weekend beside them runs to three days without using any leave.

Do businesses close on public holidays in Rwanda?

Banks, government offices and schools generally close on national public holidays in Rwanda, while shops, restaurants and transport often run reduced hours rather than shutting entirely. If you are working remotely from Rwanda, expect slower replies from local suppliers and government services on these dates.

Rwanda public holidays in 2027

The 16 public holidays already published for Rwanda in 2027. Dates that depend on a lunar or religious calendar can still be confirmed late, so check locally before booking against them.

What actually closes on a public holiday in Rwanda

The working week in Rwanda runs Monday to Friday, with the weekend on Saturday and Sunday. On a nationwide public holiday, banks, government offices, schools and most post offices close for the day.

Supermarkets, shopping malls and tourist attractions usually stay open, often on shorter hours, and public transport typically drops to a reduced, weekend-style timetable. Restaurants and hotels generally carry on as normal.

In 2026, 11 of the 15 public holidays fall on a working day — those are the dates when closures actually affect banks, offices and deliveries. The other 4 land on the weekend, when most of this is closed anyway.

The public holidays listed on this page apply nationwide in Rwanda — the national calendar we track has no region-only public holidays.

Which 2026 holidays fall on a weekend — and whether Rwanda moves them

4 of Rwanda’s 15 public holidays land on the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in 2026:

Rwanda generally grants a replacement day off when a public holiday falls on the weekend — where an official in-lieu date has been announced, it is already included in the calendar above.

Rwanda public holidays 2027 — plan ahead

Rwanda has 16 public holidays in 2027 — one more than in 2026. 9 fall on a working day. The year opens with New Year's Day on Friday 1 January 2027 and closes with Boxing Day on Sunday 26 December 2027.

DateDayHoliday
1 January 2027FridayNew Year's Day
2 January 2027SaturdayDay after New Year's Day (day off Mon 4 Jan)
1 February 2027MondayNational Heroes' Day
9 March 2027TuesdayEid al-Fitr (estimated)
26 March 2027FridayGood Friday
29 March 2027MondayEaster Monday
7 April 2027WednesdayMemorial Day of Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994
1 May 2027SaturdayLabor Day (day off Mon 3 May)
16 May 2027SundayEid al-Adha (estimated)
17 May 2027MondayEid al-Adha (observed, estimated)
1 July 2027ThursdayIndependence Day
4 July 2027SundayLiberation Day (day off Mon 5 Jul)
6 August 2027FridayUmuganura Day
15 August 2027SundayAssumption Day (day off Mon 16 Aug)
25 December 2027SaturdayChristmas Day (day off Mon 27 Dec)
26 December 2027SundayBoxing Day

Want this calendar in your own tools? Download it free: CSV · iCal for Google/Apple/Outlook · JSON — or browse the full 100-country dataset. Free under CC BY 4.0.