Labour Day in Tanzania

Legal status and the date

The Public Holidays Act lists International Workers’ Day on 1 May among Tanzania’s public holidays. It says scheduled holidays are observed every year. The President may also proclaim an additional public holiday or substitute another day for one on the schedule; the Act does not set an automatic weekday substitute when 1 May falls on a weekend.[1]

The law does not mean every public office must close: it allows a government department head to open offices or works and call employees in to perform duties on a public holiday. The Bank of Tanzania also lists Labour Day among the country’s public holidays.[1][3]

Meaning and observances

Labour Day celebrates workers’ achievements and has roots in the labour union movement’s campaign for an eight-hour working day. Tanzania’s Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency describes the movement’s demand as eight hours for work, eight for recreation and eight for rest.[4]

In Tanzania, the day is also a public occasion to recognize workers and discuss workplace concerns. An official account of a 2022 observance describes workers from the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority and the Tanzania Union of Government and Health Employees taking part in peaceful regional rallies in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. It records discussion of workers’ welfare and workplace challenges.[5]

The national celebration’s host location can vary: Tanzania’s Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that the national commemoration took place in Singida in 2025, with the President as guest of honour.[6]

Work, pay and practical planning

Employees who work on a public holiday specified in the Public Holidays Act must be paid double their basic wage for each hour worked, under section 26 of the Employment and Labour Relations Act. This provision sets the rate for hours worked; it does not by itself say that every worker receives a paid day off.[2]

The Public Holidays Act allows government departments to open on Labour Day. Check opening hours with the bank, shop, school or transport service you need before making plans.[1][3]