The future capital of Mali, Bamako, is establish as a fort, France’s Fort Bamako, as the French colonial conquest of Niger River areas continues. In April, the fort will successfully repel an attack by the army of Samori Toure, Emperor of the Islamic Empire of Wassoulou. The Wassoulou have reached the height of their power, and their empire extends over parts of future Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. Mali’s Beledougou people have already been forced to accept protectorate status under French rule as France secures all territory along a proposed Dakar to Niger railway line.

Some of the U.S.’ best baseball players, belonging to the Chicago White Sox and the New York Giants teams, arrive at the Pyramids of Giza on a publicity tour. The players ride donkeys, and the owner of the Chicago White Sox stadium, Charles Comiskey, rides a camel. At the Mena Hotel before the Khedive of Egypt, the teams play the first baseball game in Egypt in 25 years. The top ticket costs 40 Egyptian plaster (equal to US$60.13 in 2022). After ten innings, the game is called on account of darkness, with neither team winning.

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The South African Air Force is established. Colonel Pierre van Ryneveld is appointed as the Director Air Service. The aircraft are biplanes: Avro 540s.

South African Airways is founded. To maintain air transportation and air mail delivery in the country, government has taken over the assets of the failed Union Airways: 40 staff members, five aircraft and two leased airplanes. On this day next year (1 February 1935), SAA will absorb South West African Airways from what will become Namibia.

South Africa’s first indigenous language radio service, Radio Bantu broadcasting in isiZulu, is established by the Africa Broadcasting Company’s branch manager of Natal (and world-renowned ethnomusicologist) Hugh Tracey, in Durban.

The French government bans all activities in of Côte d’Ivoire of the independence party founded by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the Rassemblement Démocratique Africain (RDA). France is blaming the party for an outbreak of violent demonstrations against colonial rule, which will see 50 protestors killed by police from January through February. (pic: Gendarmes outside the RDA offices in Abidjan)

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Egypt and Syria combine to become the United Arab Republic. It is a complete political merger, with Egyptian President Gamal Nasser running the government as president.

The Siege of Algiers ends with French colonial rebels opposed to the decolonisation of Algeria surrendering to the French army, which itself has been ambiguous about Algerian independence.

The first undersea telephone cable connecting South Africa with Europe, from Cape Province to Portugal, beings operation. The line carries 360 telephone circuits.

The name Mwakenya is coined for a new Kenyan democratic movement led by Karimi Nduthu to oppose the authoritarian rule of Daniel arap Moi and the control of the economy by wealthy elite families. Word of its agenda is spread through secretly-distributed pamphlets. The movement will become militant in April 1986.

“The biggest disaster in Egypt’s football history,” says Egypt’s Minister of Health after a riot at Egypt’s Port Said Stadium kills 74 people and injures 500. Fans of the Masry club, the winner of today's Egyptian Premier League football match, violently attack fans of the losing Ahly club, who are trapped when police refuse to open the stadium gates. 73 people will be put on trial for murder, and 11 will be given death sentences.

Malawian pastor and media celebrity Shepherd Bushiri and his wife are arrested by South Africa's Directorate for Priority Investigations. The charges are fraud and money laundering amounting to more than US$1 million.