Monday April 20 will be a normal working day in Zimbabwe

The government has confirmed that Monday, April 20, 2026, will be a normal working day, despite Independence Day falling over the weekend.

Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Permanent Secretary Raphael Faranisi explained that under Section 1(i) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act, a substitute public holiday is only granted when an official holiday falls on a Sunday. In such cases, the following Monday is observed as a public holiday.

Since Independence Day this year falls on a Saturday, no substitute holiday will be applied.

The Act establishes Zimbabwe's official public holidays and regulates the suspension of business on designated days in the national interest. It also empowers the President, through statutory instruments, to declare additional public holidays when necessary.

Officials emphasized that the clarification was issued to avoid confusion among workers and businesses ahead of the Independence Day weekend.