Public Holidays in Zambia — 2026
There are 16 public holidays in Zambia in 2026 — a middle-of-the-road calendar by international standards.
2 of them land on the Saturday + Sunday weekend, which leaves 14 genuine days off work.
The dates are spread fairly evenly — 10 before July and 6 after it — with April the busiest month.
The longest dry spell runs 77 days, from Monday, August 3, 2026 to Monday, October 19, 2026; that is the stretch worth spending annual leave on.
10 holiday(s) sit next to the weekend, and 3 single bridge day(s) could turn into a four-day break.
Zambia sits in Eastern Africa, is run from Lusaka, pays in Zambian Kwacha, and has about 18.4M people planning around these same dates.
- Public holidays
- 16
- Days off work
- 14
- Weekend
- Saturday + Sunday
- Busiest month
- April (5)
- Longest gap
- 77 days
- Capital
- Lusaka
| Date | Day | Holiday | Local name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1 | Thursday | New Year's Day | |
| Mon, Mar 9 | Monday | International Women's Day | |
| Thu, Mar 12 | Thursday | Youth Day | |
| Fri, Apr 3 | Friday | Good Friday | |
| Sat, Apr 4 | Saturday | Holy Saturday | Easter Saturday |
| Sun, Apr 5 | Sunday | Easter Sunday | |
| Mon, Apr 6 | Monday | Easter Monday | |
| Tue, Apr 28 | Tuesday | Kenneth Kaunda's Birthday | |
| Fri, May 1 | Friday | Labour Day | |
| Mon, May 25 | Monday | African Freedom Day | Africa Freedom Day |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Monday | Heroes' Day | |
| Tue, Jul 7 | Tuesday | Unity Day | |
| Mon, Aug 3 | Monday | Farmers' Day | |
| Mon, Oct 19 | Monday | National Day of Prayer | |
| Mon, Oct 26 | Monday | Independence Day | |
| Fri, Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day |
How many public holidays does Zambia have in 2026?
16 — of which 14 fall on a working day and 2 fall on the Saturday + Sunday weekend.
What is the first public holiday in Zambia in 2026?
New Year's Day on Thursday, January 1, 2026. The last one of the year is Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026.
Which days are the weekend in Zambia?
Saturday + Sunday. Working-day counts on this site use that pattern, not a fixed Saturday–Sunday assumption.
When is the longest period without a public holiday in Zambia in 2026?
Between Monday, August 3, 2026 and Monday, October 19, 2026 — 77 days with nothing official in between.
Are these 2026 dates confirmed?
Yes, all 16 dates come from the official calendar (source: Nager.Date public holiday API) and none are moon-sighting estimates.