April
19

Today in African History

Historical Events

Births

  • 1968 - Mswati III, King of Eswatini, is born in Manzini, Swaziland.
  • 1926 - Rawya Ateya, an Egyptian captain and politician, is born in Giza Governorate, Egypt.

Events

  • 1971 - Sierra Leone becomes a republic with Siaka Stevens as the president.
  • 1906 - The Bambatha Rebellion, an uprising of the Zulu people against British rule, begins in South Africa. 
  • 1994 - Kenyan Professor Washington J. Okumu mediates in South Africa's election deadlock ending the Inkatha boycott of the South African multi-racial election.
  • 1923 - New Egyptian law allows suffrage(the right to vote in political elections) for men, except soldiers.
  • 2018 - King Mswati III changes the name of Swaziland to Eswatini(Land of the Swati) in honour of his 50th birthday and the 50th anniversary of national independence. 
  • 2003 - Olusegun Obasanjo is reelected as president of Nigeria, defeating his closest opponent Muhammadu Buhari by over 11 million votes.
  • 2016 - The cable suspension Kigamboni (Nyerere) Bridge is opened in Dar es Salaam by Tanzania President John Magufuli. 

Discover Africa's Rich Past

From Swaziland to Eswatini

From Swaziland to Eswatini

For his 50th birthday and Swaziland's 50th anniversary of independence, King Mswati III made a historic decision to rename the country Eswatini, which translates to "Land of the Swati." Over the years, confusion between Swaziland and Switzerland had been common, prompting the king to choose a name that would assert the country's unique identity.  This symbolic gesture was not merely about a name change; it represented a deeper connection to Swazi culture and history while also signalling Eswatini's determination to stand out as a sovereign nation on the global stage.

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