On This Day: What happened on 16 May?

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 16 May, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

1969 | South African Bureau of State Security (BOSS) was established. It was replaced by the National Intelligence Service in 1980. 

1997 | President of Zaire (now Congo) is forced into exile by rebel soldiers led by rebel forces led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila. 

2003 | 14 bombers blew themselves up in one of the worst attacks in Casablanca, Morocco killing 33 people and injuring more than 100. 

2014 | Two explosions killed twelve people in the Gikomba market area of Nairobi, Kenya.

READ: On This Day: What happened on 15 May?

DEATHS

1977 | First President of Mali, Modibo Keïta (61)

2004 | Egyptian-German actress, Marika Rökk (90) 

2016 | Somali Minister of Defense, Hussein Sheikh Abdirahman (75)

BIRTHDAYS

1983 | South African comedian, Loyiso Gola

1988 | Namibian model, Behati Prinsloo

1989 | South African cricket player, Yolandi Potgieter

1994 | South African rugby player, Christiaan Meyer

SPORT

2019 | Saray Khumalo became the first black African woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. 

ENTERTAINMENT

2002 | “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” starring Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman is released. 

2019 | The last episode of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ starring Jim Parson, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco airs on TV. 

2019 | Rocketman, a movie based on the life of Elton John is released.

 

AFRICA FACT

The Mozambican national flag has the image of an AK-47 assault rifle embedded into it.