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Public holidays in Burundi

14 days in 2026 · 13 in 2027

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Next public holiday

Rwagasore Day

After it: Ndadaye Day, Wednesday 21 October

Tuesday, 13 October 2026

Burundi has 14 days off in 2026, fixed by a presidential decree of 7 June 2021, and five of them belong to national remembrance: the Day of Unity and National Reconciliation on 5 February, the assassination of President Cyprien Ntaryamira on 6 April, National Patriotism Day and the death of President Pierre Nkurunziza on 8 June, the assassination of Prince Louis Rwagasore on 13 October and that of President Melchior Ndadaye on 21 October. Three of them recall leaders who were assassinated.

The rest of the list is short on Easter. The decree keeps four Christian feasts, Ascension, the Assumption, All Saints' Day and Christmas, and two Muslim ones, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, but neither Good Friday nor Easter Monday. New Year's Day, Labour Day and Independence Day on 1 July complete it.

A holiday that falls on a Sunday can be carried to the next working day under Article 4 of the decree, when observing it on the Sunday is judged unsuitable. In 2026 All Saints' Day falls on Sunday 1 November, and timeanddate lists Monday 2 November as the day off in its place.

Days off in 2026
14Nationwide public holidays
On a weekday
12Monday to Friday
On a weekend
2Saturday or Sunday
Long weekends
5and 4 with one day of leave

2026

Public holidays in Burundi in 2026

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayThe first day of the year, listed first in the decree as Premier Jour du nouvel an. A Thursday in 2026 and a Friday in 2027.Thursday
  2. 5 February: Unity DayThe Day of Unity and National Reconciliation, which the Wikipedia list of holidays describes as meant to reconcile Hutu and Tutsi. It falls on a Thursday in 2026 and a Friday in 2027.Thursday
  3. 20 March: Eid al-FitrThe end of Ramadan, Aid-El-Fithr in the decree. It follows the Islamic lunar calendar and fell on Friday 20 March in 2026.FridayDate moves
  4. 6 April: Ntaryamira DayThe anniversary of the death of President Cyprien Ntaryamira on 6 April 1994, whose plane went down near Kigali; the decree calls it the commemoration of his assassination.Monday
  5. 1 May: Labour DayInternational Labour Day on 1 May, a Friday in 2026 and a Saturday in 2027.Friday
  6. 14 May: Ascension DayForty days after Easter and always a Thursday: 14 May in 2026 and 6 May in 2027. It is the only movable Christian feast on the list.ThursdayDate moves
  7. 27 May: Eid al-AdhaThe feast of sacrifice, Aid-El-Hadj in the decree, on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah. Wednesday 27 May in 2026 and Sunday 16 May in 2027.WednesdayDate moves
  8. 8 June: National Patriotism DayNational Patriotism Day and the commemoration of the death of President Pierre Nkurunziza, who died on 8 June 2020. It falls on a Monday in 2026.Monday
  9. 1 July: Independence DayIndependence from Belgian administration on 1 July 1962, when Burundi became a sovereign kingdom. A Wednesday in 2026 and a Thursday in 2027.Wednesday
  10. 15 August: Assumption DayThe Assumption of Mary on 15 August, which falls on a weekend in both years: a Saturday in 2026 and a Sunday in 2027.Saturday
  11. 13 October: Rwagasore DayPrince Louis Rwagasore, leader of the independence party UPRONA and prime minister, was assassinated on 13 October 1961 at the age of 29. The decree calls him the national hero.Tuesday
  12. 21 October: Ndadaye DayMelchior Ndadaye, the first Hutu head of state, elected in June 1993, was killed in a coup attempt on 21 October 1993, the start of the civil war that lasted until 2005.Wednesday
  13. 1 November: All Saints' DayAll Saints' Day on 1 November, a Sunday in 2026 and a Monday in 2027.Sunday
  14. 25 December: Christmas DayChristmas on 25 December, the only day off of the Christmas season: there is no Boxing Day in the decree.Friday

Long weekends

Long weekends in Burundi in 2026

Runs of three days or more off, with weekends counted, and the working days that join a holiday to a weekend when taken as leave.

  • 4daysThu 1 Jan to Sun 4 JanWith Fri 2 Jan taken as leave · New Year's Day
  • 4daysThu 5 Feb to Sun 8 FebWith Fri 6 Feb taken as leave · Unity Day
  • 3daysFri 20 Mar to Sun 22 MarEid al-Fitr
  • 3daysSat 4 Apr to Mon 6 AprNtaryamira Day
  • 3daysFri 1 May to Sun 3 MayLabour Day
  • 4daysThu 14 May to Sun 17 MayWith Fri 15 May taken as leave · Ascension Day
  • 3daysSat 6 Jun to Mon 8 JunNational Patriotism Day
  • 4daysSat 10 Oct to Tue 13 OctWith Mon 12 Oct taken as leave · Rwagasore Day
  • 3daysFri 25 Dec to Sun 27 DecChristmas Day

2027

Public holidays in Burundi in 2027

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayFriday
  2. 5 February: Unity DayFriday
  3. 6 April: Ntaryamira DayTuesday
  4. 1 May: Labour DaySaturday
  5. 6 May: Ascension DayThursdayDate moves
  6. 16 May: Eid al-AdhaSundayDate moves
  7. 8 June: National Patriotism DayTuesday
  8. 1 July: Independence DayThursday
  9. 15 August: Assumption DaySunday
  10. 13 October: Rwagasore DayWednesday
  11. 21 October: Ndadaye DayThursday
  12. 1 November: All Saints' DayMonday
  13. 25 December: Christmas DaySaturday

The list in force comes from Decree No. 100/150 of 7 June 2021, which amended the Decree No. 100/182 of 17 July 2006 fixing the list and the regime of public holidays. It cites a law of 4 June 2021 on the status of Pierre Nkurunziza as Supreme Guide of Patriotism, and it is in this decree that 8 June appears as National Patriotism Day. Article 3 allows any other day to be declared a holiday by decree.

The decree makes every listed day a paid day off. Under Article 2 workers paid by the hour, the day or the piece receive what they would have earned, and those who work on a holiday receive an additional payment at the overtime rate. The Présidence's own news in April 2024 reported a school inaugurated on the Ntaryamira anniversary under the message that not every public holiday has to be a day without work.

The holiday provider behind this page leaves out both Muslim feasts. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha for 2026 come from timeanddate's list, and Eid al-Adha for 2027 from Office Holidays; no date for Eid al-Fitr in 2027 is yet on file, so that year's calendar shows 13 days. Other lists differ from the decree in smaller ways: Office Holidays gives Rwagasore Day as 12 October, and the East African Community's page names Good Friday and Boxing Day, which the decree does not include.

Common questions

Questions about public holidays in Burundi

How many public holidays does Burundi have?

Fourteen under the decree of 7 June 2021: New Year's Day, Unity Day, Ntaryamira Day, Ascension, Labour Day, National Patriotism Day, Independence Day, the Assumption, Rwagasore Day, Ndadaye Day, All Saints' Day, Christmas and the two Eids. All fourteen fall on separate dates in 2026, and two of them, the Assumption on 15 August and All Saints' Day on 1 November, fall on a weekend.

Is Good Friday a public holiday in Burundi?

No. The decree of 2021 lists Ascension, the Assumption, All Saints' Day and Christmas as the Christian holidays, and neither Good Friday nor Easter Monday is among them, although the East African Community's page on Burundi names Good Friday. Easter therefore brings no long weekend; Ascension, always a Thursday, is the one movable Christian feast with a day off.

What happens when a holiday falls on a Sunday in Burundi?

Article 4 of the decree allows it to be moved to the next working day, which is then kept as the holiday, when observing it on the Sunday is judged unsuitable. Office Holidays notes that this depends on a government announcement made close to the date. In 2026 All Saints' Day falls on a Sunday, and timeanddate lists Monday 2 November as the day off.

What does Burundi commemorate on 21 October?

The assassination of Melchior Ndadaye, Burundi's first Hutu president, killed by army officers in a coup attempt on 21 October 1993, three months after taking office. The killings that followed began a civil war that lasted until 2005. In 2026 the day falls on a Wednesday.

What is National Patriotism Day in Burundi?

The holiday of 8 June, which the 2021 decree names National Patriotism Day and the commemoration of the death of President Pierre Nkurunziza. He died on 8 June 2020, shortly after the election that chose his successor. In 2026 it falls on a Monday, giving a three-day weekend.

When are the Eid holidays in Burundi in 2026 and 2027?

Eid al-Fitr fell on Friday 20 March 2026 and Eid al-Adha on Wednesday 27 May 2026, according to timeanddate. Office Holidays gives Eid al-Adha in 2027 as Sunday 16 May. Both follow the Islamic lunar calendar, and the 2027 date of Eid al-Fitr is not yet on file here.

Are public holidays paid in Burundi?

Yes. The decree lists them as days that are holidays, without work and paid, and its Article 2 forbids any cut in daily, weekly or monthly wages because of them. Workers paid by the hour or by output receive what they would normally have earned, and anyone who works on a holiday is paid extra at the overtime rate.

Dates from Nager.Date, read 2026-10-02. The page counts from Saturday, 3 October 2026, the day it was built.