On This Day: What happened on 19 December?

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 19 December, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

ON THIS DAY: 19 DECEMBER

1969 | Former president of Uganda Apollo Milton Obote was shot in the head while attending a conference in Kampala. After the assassination attempt, all opposition parties were banned and an authoritarian regime was adopted.

1982 | Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) attacks Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in Cape Town. No injuries were reported.  

1989 | Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo, and Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), led initially by Ndabaningi Sithole merged to form a new political party, Zimbabwean African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).

1992 | Due to illegal or unauthorised activities by the South African Defence Force (SADF), 23 members including two generals and four brigadiers were dismissed by President F.W. de Klerk. 

READ: On This Day: What happened on 18 December?

DEATHS

2008 | Zimbabwean racing driver, Sam Tingle (87)

BIRTHDAYS

1944 | Kenyan politician, Richard Leakey

1955 | Zimbabwean former cricketer, William Houghton

1973 | Kenyan marathon runner, Erick Wainaina

1983 | South African cricketer, Carl Raubenheimer

1987 | Rugby player, Michael Rhodes 

SPORT

1997 | South African professional boxer, Thulani “Sugarboy” Malinga won the World Boxing Council (WBC) title for the second time.

ENTERTAINMENT

2001 | The first movie of the Lord of the Rings, ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ is released.

AFRICA FACT

Africa is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It covers about over 30 million square kilometres.