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).