Events in Zambian History
Victoria Falls
1855-11-17 David Livingstone becomes the first European to see Victoria Falls, in what is now Zambia and Zimbabwe
Event of Interest
1961-09-18 Transair Sweden DC-6 passenger aircraft chartered by the United Nations for transit to cease-fire negotiations during the Congo Crisis, crashed near Ndola, Northern Rhodesia (present-day Zambia), killing 16, including UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, and 15 others; official inquiries never determined the cause
- 1963-05-25 Organization for African Unity formed by Chad, Mauritania and Zambia
- 1964-01-22 Kenneth Kaunda becomes the first President of Northern Rhodesia (Zambia)
- 1964-10-24 Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) gains independence from Britain (National Day) with Kenneth Kaunda becoming President
- 1973-08-25 Zambia adopts constitution
- 1986-05-18 South African army occupies Botswana, Zimbabwe & Zambia
- 1990-06-25 Anti-government riots break out in Lusaka, Zambia
- 1993-04-28 Zambian plane crashes at Libreville, Gabon, 30 soccer players die
- 1994-11-20 Angolan government and UNITA rebels sign the Lusaka Protocol in Zambia, ending 19 years of civil war
- 1997-12-31 South African & US surgeons separate Zambian Siamese twins joined at the head
- 2012-02-12 Zambia defeat Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in the Africa Cup of Nations
- 2018-01-05 Kitwe in Zambia bans shaking hands and the sale of fresh food in attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak
Event of Interest
2021-05-10 Kazungula road and rail bridge 1km long opens over the Zambezi River linking Botswana and Zambia, with a curve so it doesn't encroach on Zimbabwe (Robert Mugabe opposed it)
Kamala Harris Visits Former Slave Port
2023-03-28 US Vice President Kamala Harris visits former slave port Cape Coast Castle in Ghana as part of her tour of Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia [1]
- 2023-09-20 Earliest known evidence for humans building with wood discovered near Kalambo Falls, Zambia at nearly half a million years old (previous known example 9,000 years old) [1]
- 2024-01-11 Death toll from Zambia's cholera outbreak reaches 300 as the president urges people to move away from dense urban areas [1]
Famous People from Zambia
- 1924-04-28 Kenneth Kaunda, 1st President of Zambia (1964-91), born in Chinsali, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) (d. 2021)
- 1933-01-09 Wilbur Smith, British-South African novelist (When the Lion Feeds, War Cry, River God), born in Ndola, Northern Rhodesia, (now Zambia) (d. 2021)
- 1943-04-30 Frederick Chiluba, 2nd President of Zambia (1991-2001), born in Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia (d. 2011)
- 1948-09-03 Levy Mwanawasa, Zambian politician (3rd President of Zambia), born in Mufulira, Zambia (d. 2008)
- 1948-11-11 Robert John "Mutt" Lange, South African songwriter and producer for rock, pop and country artists (Boomtown Rats; AC/DC; Def Leppard; Bryan Adams; Shania Twain), born in Mufulira, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)
- 1951-03-08 Philippe Henri Edmonds, cricketer (in Zambia England slow left-arm)
- 1962-06-04 Hakainde Hichilema, Zambian politician (President of Zambia 2021-), born in Northern Rhodesia
- 1964-03-18 Rozalla [Miller], Zambian electronic dance music performer, born in Ndola, Northern Rhodesia
- 1970-10-27 Felix Bwalya, Zambian boxer, born in Chingola, Zambia
Vaughan Gething (50 years old)
1974-03-15 Welsh first minister (2024-) Labour and Co-operative politician, born in Usaka, Zambia
- 1976-07-03 Henry Olonga, Zimbabwean cricket fast bowler (30 Tests, 68 wickets, BB 5/70; 50 ODIs, 58 wickets; Matabeleland), born in Lusaka, Zambia
- 1977-05-31 Moses Sichone, Zambian footballer, born in Mufulira, Zambia
- 1978-10-22 Chaswe Nsofwa, Zambian soccer striker (33 caps; Zanaco FC), born in Lusaka, Zambia (d. 2007)
- 1981-04-06 Robert Earnshaw, Welsh soccer striker (59 caps; scored hat-tricks in Premier League, Divisions 1, 2 & 3, FA Cup, League Cup and international match; Cardiff City), born in Mufulira, Zambia
- 1988-12-14 Yvonne Mwale, Zambian jazz and blues singer, born in Lusaka, Zambia