Uganda 2026 Public Holidays

New Year

1 January.

The start of the Gregorian calendar year. Some sources list this alongside a separate New Year's Day entry when a country grants more than one day off around the turn of the year.

Election Day Holiday

Set by each election — not an annual date.

In a number of countries polling day is a public holiday so that voting does not conflict with work. These dates do not repeat annually and cannot be projected into future years.

Liberation Day

The anniversary of liberation from occupation — varies by country.

Marks the end of a foreign occupation, most often the end of Axis occupation in 1944–45. Observed in Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and a number of African and Asian states.

International Women's Day

8 March.

Marks the struggle for women's rights, with roots in the labour movement of the early 1900s. A full public holiday across the post-Soviet states; a half day for women only in China; and an observance in most of the rest of the world.

Eid al-Fitr

1 Shawwal, the day after Ramadan ends. The date depends on a moon sighting and is often confirmed only a day or two in advance.

The festival that ends Ramadan, and the largest holiday of the year across the Muslim world. Most countries grant two to three consecutive days; Indonesia and Malaysia extend it further with collective leave. Because the date is set by moon sighting, calendars published far in advance are provisional.

Good Friday

The Friday before Easter Sunday.

Commemorates the crucifixion, and is the most widely observed Christian public holiday after Christmas. Together with Easter Monday it produces a four-day weekend in much of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America. In several countries it also carries trading or entertainment restrictions beyond the day off itself.

Easter Monday

The Monday after Easter Sunday.

A public holiday across most of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America, extending the Easter weekend to four days. Notably not a holiday in the United States, Portugal or Spain outside Catalonia and the Balearics.

Labour Day

1 May in most countries.

International Workers' Day, commemorating the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, and a public holiday in most of the world. The United States and Canada are the notable exceptions, holding their Labor Day in September instead.

Eid al-Adha

10 Dhu al-Hijjah, about seventy days after Eid al-Fitr, confirmed by moon sighting.

The Feast of Sacrifice, marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage and commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son. Alongside Eid al-Fitr it is one of the two principal Islamic holidays, and is observed with several days off in most Muslim-majority countries.

Martyrs' Day

Varies by country.

Honours those killed in a country's struggle for independence or in a defining national tragedy.

National Heroes Day

Varies by country.

Honours the figures a country regards as founders or liberators. Common across the Caribbean, southern Africa and the Philippines.

Independence Day

The anniversary of the country's independence — a different date in every country.

The national day of a country that gained independence from another state, and typically its most important secular holiday. Over a hundred countries observe one, on dates ranging across the whole calendar.

Christmas Day

25 December. The day off moves to the following weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The most widely observed public holiday after New Year's Day, a day off in the great majority of countries including many with no Christian majority, where it functions as a secular end-of-year holiday. Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar keep it on 7 January instead.

Boxing Day

26 December, moving to the next weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The second day of Christmas, a public holiday across the Commonwealth and much of Europe. Known as St Stephen's Day in Ireland, Italy and Central Europe, and as the Second Day of Christmas in the Nordics and the Netherlands.