The National Day of Mauritius is on the 12 March (National Day, independence from the United Kingdom 1968, republic 1992). It is a public holiday in Mauritius and commemorates the day when the country gained independence from British colonial rule in 1968.
National Day of Mauritius
Likewise the movement for independence in Mauritius began in the 1950s. This movement was dominated by the MLP or what it is called the Mauritian Labour Party which was led by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. He also became the country’s first Prime Minister after independence.
Firstly this started in 1961 when the British government established a constitutional commission. They had to look at the possibility for greater autonomy. They recommended a fully elected legislative council and the gradual transfer of executive power to locally elected officials.Thirdly the proposals where rejected by the Franco-Mauritian and Creole elites, who feared that a fully independent Mauritius would be dominated by the majority Indo-Mauritian community.Then a new constitution was proposed in 1965 with an island council with limited independence. Finally, in 1967, a new constitutional conference was held in London, which resulted in an agreement for Mauritius to gain independence as a sovereign state. The country’s new constitution was drafted, and elections were held in 1967, which saw the MLP emerge as the clear winner.
Likewise on the 12th March 1968, the British flag was lowered for the last time in Mauritius, and the country officially became independent. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was sworn in as the country’s first Prime Minister, and Mauritius joined the United Nations as a sovereign state.
See also the National Day of Comoros and National Day of Niger and the National Day of Mauritania.
Public Holidays in Mauritius
The following is a list of public holidays in Mauritius:
- New Year’s Day – January 1st
- Thaipoosam Cavadee – date varies (usually in January or February)
- Abolition of Slavery – February 1st
- Chinese New Year – date varies (usually in February)
- Maha Shivaratree – date varies (usually in February or March)
- National Day – March 12th
- Ugadi – date varies (usually in March or April)
- Labour Day – May 1st
- Eid-ul-Fitr – date varies (usually in May or June)
- Father’s Day – date varies (usually in June)
- Assumption Day – August 15th
- Ganesh Chaturthi – date varies (usually in August or September)
- Diwali – date varies (usually in October or November)
- Arrival of Indentured Labourers – November 2nd
- Christmas Day – December 25th
Note that the dates of some of these public holidays vary from year to year, depending on the lunar calendar or other factors.
