This Week In History: Boer war begins in South Africa, Obote dies, Ingabire is arrested,

This week, 11th - 17th October is memorable in Africa. Struggles for power, deaths of nationalists, some arrests among many other events as we will see.

Without wasting time, lets take a look at the memorable events in Africa  here on The African Social History Blog.

Boer war begins in South Africa.
On this day in 1899, the Boers also called Afrikaners, of Dutch descent went to war with the British. This was after they had captured the Dutch cape colony in 1806 amid the Napoleonic
wars.

The Dutch were against the British Anglicanisation of South Africa and the British anti-slavery policies.

This war took place in the Dutch republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State. The British had an upper hand but an organised guerrilla attack by the Dutch gave them the edge over their rivals - the British.


Peace of Vereeniging was signed on 31st May 1902 putting an end to the fighting.

Obote dies.
Dr Apollo Milton Obote was the first prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 when he became executive president.

Milton obote was born on 28th December, 1925 in Akokoro village in Apac district, Northern Uganda. He became President in 1966 when his troops under the command of Gen Idi Amin Dada attacked Sir Edward Muteesa's palace (the the Kabaka of Buganda). He was later ousted by his protege Amin in a coup on 26th January, 1971.

Obote later returned in 1980 to win the general elections which were marred by controversy. These elections sent Yoweri Museveni to war under the guerilla group National Resistance Army. Obote was however ousted again in 1985 by illiterate Tito Okello Lutwa, who also lost power to the NRM in 1986.

After this, Obote was exiled in Tanzania and later Zambia, later died of Kidney failure in Johannesburg on 10th October 2005.

Ingabire is arrested.
 Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, Rwanda's opposition leader,  was arrested  on October 12th, 2010. The FDU-Inkingi Coalition leader was suspected to have a hand in rebel activities hence her arrest. 

And many more...

-Mother Teresa escapes a plane crash that kills six in Tanzania. (11th October, 1986)

-The ANC says it "is not prepared to negotiate peaceful settlement with Pretoria". (13th October 1985).

-Scientists discovered a mysterious disease that killed many people (over 3oo) in the North of Zaire and the Sudan.(14th October, 1976)

-Egyptian and Israeli forces clash in the Sinai. (17th October, 1973) .

With that and many events, we witness land marks in Africa especially in the struggle for self rule. Not only that, but also foreigners fighting for Africa!