President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana (formerly Gold Coast), a leading exponent of Pan-Africanism, ordered the release of the last of his political prisoners, detained under the Preventive Detention Act of 1958. Many of the political prisoners, who were labelled militants, were arrested in order to calm down the growing opposition against Kwame Nkrumah's government, which had rejected multiparty rule in favour of one party rule and scientific socialism.
23 December 1962
Kwame Nkrumah orders release of political prisoners

- Updated
- 4 Dec 2019

How we know this
- 01Bobby-Evans, A, This Day in African History: 23 December, from About.com, [online], Available at africanhistory.about.com [Accessed 16 September 2011]
Last updated · 4 Dec 2019
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Kwame Nkrumah orders release of political prisoners. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011972
South African History Online (2011) 'Kwame Nkrumah orders release of political prisoners', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011972 (Accessed: 2 November 2026).
South African History Online, Kwame Nkrumah orders release of political prisoners [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011972, (accessed 2 November 2026).
"Kwame Nkrumah orders release of political prisoners." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011972. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.
South African History Online. "Kwame Nkrumah orders release of political prisoners." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011972.
Also on 23 December
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- 1960Zindzi Mandela is born
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- 1980Four black newspapers are banned by the SA government
- 1985Amanzimtoti blast kills five
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