Zambia Independence Day

This day marks its independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. The country wasn’t visited by European settlers until the end of the 19th century. It was merged into Northern Rhodesia, which was a British protectorate. In 1953, several countries under British control in the region were put into the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. This creation was particularly resented in Northern Rhodesia leading to the rise of two nationalist parties. Following elections in 1962, the two parties joined forces to pass resolutions calling for Northern Rhodesia’s secession from the federation and demanding full internal self-government. The federation was dissolved on 31st December 1963, and in January 1964, Kaunda won the only election for Prime Minister of Northern Rhodesia. On this day in 1964, the British colony of Northern Rhodesia became the independent Republic of Zambia with Kaunda becoming the inaugural president until 1991.