On this day — October 29 in African history

Portuguese forces defeated the Kingdom of Kongo at the Battle of Mbwila and beheaded King António I, a turning point that led to the kingdom's fragmentation.

Twin car bombings at a busy junction in Mogadishu, Somalia, killed more than 100 people.

CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who became Africa's first elected female head of state and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was born in Liberia.

John Magufuli, who served as the fifth President of Tanzania, was born.

Israeli forces invaded Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, opening the Suez Crisis two days before Britain and France began bombing the canal zone.

The United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania, five months after the two states had merged under President Julius Nyerere.

Unknown author — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Vonetta Flowers, American bobsledder who became the first Black athlete of any nation to win a Winter Olympics gold medal, was born.

Photo by Frank Hall — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Liberian military ruler Samuel Doe was declared winner of a fraud-marred presidential election that entrenched his hold on power.

South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission presented its final report to President Nelson Mandela, documenting atrocities committed under apartheid.