The former South African president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Nelson Mandela, has dedicated his life to fighting for racial equality and is considered a pacifist leader.
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After spending 27 years in prison, Mandela became the first black president of South Africa after winning the country’s first multiracial elections in 1994.
These are the 10 most important events that marked the life of Mandela, whose centenary birthday was celebrated on 18th July 2018 (100 years ) is celebrated in South Africa and the rest of the world as Nelson Mandela day
- Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, a town near Umtata, South Africa.
- In 1942, he graduated as a lawyer at the University of the Witwatersrand.
- In 1962 he was arrested and sentenced for sabotage, in addition to other charges, to life imprisonment. He spent 27 years in prison, most of which he was confined to the Robben Island prison.
- After his release on February 11, 1990, Mandela led his party in the negotiations to achieve a multiracial democracy in South Africa, which was achieved in 1994 with the first democratic elections by universal suffrage.
- Mandela won the elections and was president from 1994 to 1999.
- He received more than 250 international awards and recognitions for decades, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize.
- He married three times, first with Evelyn Mase in 1943, then with Winnie Madikizela in 1958 and finally with Graça Machel in 1998.
- Together with Mother Teresa of Calcutta, besides Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, he was the only foreigner to has been distinguished with Bharat Ratna, India’s most prestigious civil prize in 1958.
- In 2004 Mandela retired from political life.
- In January 2011, Mandela was hospitalized for a respiratory infection. He later died in 2013
Kenyan celebs who met with Mandela before his death in 2013
Uhuru Kenyatta as deputy Prime Minister
Jeff Koinange while working for CNN
Raila Odinga as Kenya’s Prime Minister
Daniel Moi, when he was Kenya’s President
Late Internal Security Minister George Saitoti