April 7th

On this day - April 7th 1994 - The Rwanda Genocide 

The Genocide in Rwanda was a conflict where the Tutsi and some moderate Hutu were killed by the Hutu in Rwanda. The background for the conflict was the division created between the two group of peoples during the Belgian colonial rule and the Civil war which had started in 1990.The Genocide lasted for about 100 days, and somewhere between 50.000 and 1.000.000 people were killed in the conflict. This constituted about 70 percent of the Tutsi population, and 20 percent of the total population in Rwanda. On April 6th was the plane with the Rwandan president shot down. The systematic killing started the day after. Neighbors turned on each other and UN which was present in the country chose to do nothing to protect the victims. Several of the victims was killed with machetes and died a painful death. The genocide cam to an end after about 100 days because most of the Tutsi's had either escaped the country or was already dead. The genocide have had long lasting impact on Rwanda. For example experienced Rwanda a surge in HIV due to the war related rapes during the 100 days of the genocide, a destroyed transportation system and a huge lack of people.

January 13th

On this day - 13th January 1972 - Ignatius Kutu Acheampong's military coup in Ghana

Ignatius Kutu Acheampong took over as the head of state in Ghana after a bloodless coup in Ghana in 1972. He overthrew the democratically elected government in Ghana at the time. During his rule implemented Acheampong the metric system of measurement, he implemented right side driving and a program aimed at achieving self-sustainability in agriculture for Ghana. Corruption was also a common policy during his rule. He held the position as head of state until July 1978 when he deposed in a palace coup by his former Chief of Defense staff. In July 1979 was Acheampong executed by firing squad.

Former head of state in Ghana, Akufo-Addo, who Acheampong overthrew in 1972

November 23rd

On this day - 23th November 2005 - The first female president elected in Africa

Ellen Johnson Sirleat was declared the winner of the presidential election in Liberia on the 23th of November 2005. This made her the first female to be elected as president in any African country. She was inaugurated on the 16^th of January 2006. Sirleat had been involved in politics long before she won the election. She had worked as the financial minister of Liberia from 1997 to 1980 and she placed second the president election in 1997. In 2005 won she the election and she became the 24^th president of Liberia. In 2011 she won the Nobel peace award jointly with Gbowee from Liberia and Karman from Yemen for their non-violent struggle for women’s rights. She also won the re-election for the role as president in 2011, a positions she still holds.