Heroes' Day is a public holiday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and it is observed on two days: January 16 and 17 each year.
January 16 commemorates when President Laurent Kabila was assassinated on this day in 2001, and January 17 commemorates when Patrice Lumumba was assassinated on this day in 1961.
Laurent Kabila served as the third President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from May 17, 1997, to January 16, 2001. He was born on November 27, 1939. Following the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, Mobutu's government began to weaken after losing political and financial support from foreign powers. Laurent Kabila led the rebels and successfully overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, ending his 32 years of rule. On January 16, 2001, Laurent Kabila was assassinated in his office.
Patrice Lumumba served as the first Prime Minister of the independent Democratic Republic of the Congo from June 24 to September 5, 1960. He was born on July 2, 1925, and was a key figure in transforming the colony of Belgium into an independent republic. He was caught after Mobutu's military coup and was assassinated on January 17, 1961.
The following is the list of Heroes' Day in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Heroes' Day (Laurent Kabila) | Jan 16, 2022 | Sunday |
| Heroes' Day (Patrice Lumumba) | Jan 17, 2022 | Monday |
| Heroes' Day (Laurent Kabila) | Jan 16, 2023 | Monday |
| Heroes' Day (Patrice Lumumba) | Jan 17, 2023 | Tuesday |
| Heroes' Day (Laurent Kabila) | Jan 16, 2024 | Tuesday |
| Heroes' Day (Patrice Lumumba) | Jan 17, 2024 | Wednesday |
| Heroes' Day (Laurent Kabila) | Jan 16, 2025 | Thursday |
| Heroes' Day (Patrice Lumumba) | Jan 17, 2025 | Friday |
| Heroes' Day (Laurent Kabila) | Jan 16, 2026 | Friday |
| Heroes' Day (Patrice Lumumba) | Jan 17, 2026 | Saturday |
Please check more public holidays in Democratic Republic of the Congo: