Timeline of Lilongwe

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Lilongwe, Malawi.

20th century

1902 – Local leader Njewa sets up a boma named after the Lilongwe River. 1904 – Lilongwe becomes administrative seat of British colonial Nyasaland Protectorate. 1905 – Road built to Dedza. 1906 – "Asian traders" arrive. 1909 – Road built to Fort Jameson and Fort Manning. 1910 – Administrative Lilongwe District created. 1923 – Diamphwe Bridge built. 1930 – Imperial Tobacco Company manufactory begins operating. 1944 – European School founded. 1949 – Odini Catholic newspaper begins publication. 1959 – Roman Catholic diocese of Lilongwe established. 1963 – Lilongwe Technical College founded. 1964 – Lilongwe becomes part of independent Malawi. 1966 – Population: 19,425. 1967 – University of Malawi's Bunda College of Agriculture active. 1968 – Capitol City Development Corporation formed; Lilongwe "development as the new national capital" begins. 1975 – Capital of Malawi moved to Lilongwe from Zomba. 1977 Silver Strikers F.C. (football club) formed. Population: 98,718. 1979 – University of Malawi's Kamuzu College of Nursing established. 1983 – Lilongwe International Airport opens. 1987 – Population: 233,973. 1989 – founded. 1992 – May: Anti-government protest. 1997 – Media Institute of Southern Africa Malawi chapter headquartered in city. 1998 – Population: 440,471.

21st century 2003 – Population: 632,867 in city; 1,087,917 urban agglomeration (estimate). 2005 National government administration moved to Lilongwe from Blantyre. Banda Mausoleum erected.

2007 Lilongwe Wildlife Centre founded. Memorial Tower erected. 2008 December: Cholera outbreak. Population: 674,448 in city. 2009 – Kelvin Mmangisa appointed mayor. 2010 – Parliament Building constructed. 2011 – July: Anti-government protest. 2012 Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources opens. Bingu wa Mutharika Conference Centre built. Population: 868,800 in city (estimate). 2013 – Capital Hill Cashgate Scandal reported. 2016 – Lilongwe Trade Fair begins. 2017 Bingu National Stadium opens. Desmond Bikoko becomes mayor. July: Stampede occurs at Bingu Stadium. 2018 - Population: 989,318. 2020 – Population: 1,324,314 (projected estimate).

Timeline of Lilongwe

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