Public holidays
Public holidays in Zambia
Zambia has 19 public holidays in 2026, of which 5 fall on a weekend. Dates below are national holidays; regions, states and individual companies often add their own, so confirm with the person you are scheduling with.
Next public holiday18 OctoberNational Prayer Day
202619 dayspublic holidays in total
202717 daysalready scheduled
2026
Thursday 1 JanuaryNew Year's Day
Sunday 8 MarchInternational Women's Dayfalls on a weekend
Monday 9 MarchInternational Women's Day (observed)long weekend likely
Thursday 12 MarchYouth Day
Friday 3 AprilGood Fridaylong weekend likely
Saturday 4 AprilHoly Saturdayfalls on a weekend
Sunday 5 AprilEaster Sundayfalls on a weekend
Monday 6 AprilEaster Mondaylong weekend likely
Tuesday 28 AprilKenneth Kaunda Day
Friday 1 MayLabour Daylong weekend likely
Monday 25 MayAfrica Freedom Daylong weekend likely
Monday 6 JulyHeroes' Daylong weekend likely
Tuesday 7 JulyUnity Day
Monday 3 AugustFarmers' Daylong weekend likely
Thursday 13 AugustGeneral Election Day
Sunday 18 OctoberNational Prayer Dayfalls on a weekend
Monday 19 OctoberNational Prayer Day (observed)long weekend likely
Saturday 24 OctoberIndependence Dayfalls on a weekend
Friday 25 DecemberChristmas Daylong weekend likely
2027
Friday 1 JanuaryNew Year's Daylong weekend likely
Monday 8 MarchInternational Women's Daylong weekend likely
Friday 12 MarchYouth Daylong weekend likely
Friday 26 MarchGood Fridaylong weekend likely
Saturday 27 MarchHoly Saturdayfalls on a weekend
Sunday 28 MarchEaster Sundayfalls on a weekend
Monday 29 MarchEaster Mondaylong weekend likely
Wednesday 28 AprilKenneth Kaunda Day
Saturday 1 MayLabour Dayfalls on a weekend
Tuesday 25 MayAfrica Freedom Day
Monday 5 JulyHeroes' Daylong weekend likely
Tuesday 6 JulyUnity Day
Monday 2 AugustFarmers' Daylong weekend likely
Monday 18 OctoberNational Prayer Daylong weekend likely
Sunday 24 OctoberIndependence Dayfalls on a weekend
Monday 25 OctoberIndependence Day (observed)long weekend likely
Saturday 25 DecemberChristmas Dayfalls on a weekend
How to use this
A public holiday does not always mean nobody is working, and a clear calendar does not mean your colleague is free. Treat these dates as a prompt to ask rather than an answer — especially the ones marked as set by moon sighting, where the final date is confirmed only days ahead.