Public holidays
DR Congo: 13 public holiday dates in 2026 (13 days off) and 12 in 2027 (12 days off), with 255 working days in 2026 and 255 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Saturday 3 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Sunday 4 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Friday 16 January 2026 | 2026-W03 | National Hero Laurent Désiré Kabila Day | Yes |
| Saturday 17 January 2026 | 2026-W03 | National Hero Patrice Emery Lumumba Day | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Day of the Struggle of Simon Kimbangu and African Consciousness | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Saturday 16 May 2026 | 2026-W20 | Revolution and Armed Forces Day | Yes |
| Sunday 17 May 2026 | 2026-W20 | Revolution and Armed Forces Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 30 June 2026 | 2026-W27 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Saturday 1 August 2026 | 2026-W31 | Congolese Genocide Memorial Day | Yes |
| Sunday 2 August 2026 | 2026-W31 | Congolese Genocide Memorial Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Monday 4 January 2027 | 2027-W01 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Saturday 16 January 2027 | 2027-W02 | National Hero Laurent Désiré Kabila Day | Yes |
| Sunday 17 January 2027 | 2027-W02 | National Hero Patrice Emery Lumumba Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 6 April 2027 | 2027-W14 | Day of the Struggle of Simon Kimbangu and African Consciousness | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Monday 17 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Revolution and Armed Forces Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 30 June 2027 | 2027-W26 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Saturday 31 July 2027 | 2027-W30 | Parents' Day | Yes |
| Sunday 1 August 2027 | 2027-W30 | Parents' Day | Yes |
| Monday 2 August 2027 | 2027-W31 | Congolese Genocide Memorial Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| March | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| April | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| May | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| June | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| July | 23 | 22 | −1 |
| August | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| December | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| Q1 | 62 | 62 | 0 |
| Q2 | 62 | 62 | 0 |
| Q3 | 66 | 65 | −1 |
| Q4 | 65 | 66 | +1 |
| Year | 255 | 255 | 0 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
4 January marks the beginning of the independence movement in 1959.
At work: Fine to mention with respect. A day off.
16 January marks the assassination of President Laurent-Désiré Kabila in 2001.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off.
17 January marks the assassination of Patrice Lumumba in 1961. Lumumba was an independence leader and the first prime minister of the Congo.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off.
6 April is a holiday set by a recent law dedicated to the fight of Simon Kimbangu and African consciousness. It is the date on which Simon Kimbangu began his healing and prophetic activities.
At work: Fine to mention with respect. A day off.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
17 May was Liberation Day, when Zaire was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997. It was renamed the Armed Forces Day in 2019.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off.
Marks 30 June 1960, when the Democratic Republic of the Congo became independent from Belgium.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
2 August is the commemoration of Genocost, officially recognised as a public holiday in the DR Congo in 2024. The term genocost refers to the human, social and economic cost of a genocide perpetrated for economic gain.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off.
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
1 August is Parents' Day, a public holiday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At work: Welcome to mention. A day off.
Open DR Congo in TimeBento, next to the other places you work with.