After the Immate (Empire) of Oman conquers the Portuguese Fort Jesus at Mombasa (pic), Iman Sa'if ibn Sultan is appointed Governor of Mombasa.

The South African film They Built a Nation/Die Bou van 'n Nasie is released. The expensive epic made for the 100th anniversary of the 1838 Great Trek of Boer homesteaders dramatises South African history from the arrival of the first white settlers in 1652 to the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910. The movie takes the white settler’s point of view, and glosses over the reality that their nation was built upon other, already established nations. This is the first South African movie produced in English rather than Afrikaans.

The SS Warrian becomes another casualty of World War II when she sinks after a collision in the Gulf of Guinea. Since 1929 until she was requisitioned by the British government for war use – she was a major shipper of West African palm oil and other products for the United Africa Company.

After British forces defeat Italy in Libya, the Italian military air base is rebuilt and opened as the Royal Air Force Station El Adem. A critical installation during the North African Campaign of World War II, it will be used for civilian air travel as the Tobruk International Airport in 2013.

A rally for the Jan Andolan Movement in British Mauritius fills Port Louis’ large race track, and shows support for the movement’s agenda for voting rights, education and an end to colonial rule.

Sylvanius Olympio, who will be Togo’s first president at Independence in 1960, presents a petition of grievances to the U.N. This becomes the first petition for resolution of grievances taken to and acted upon by the U.N. Togo is legally not a French colony, but exists as a U.N. Trusteeship. The U.N. has assumed the old League of Nations Trusteeship of the former German Togoland.

Kenya achieves national independence, from Britain. The independence leader whom Britain considered a terrorist a decade before, Jomo Kenyatta, becomes the first prime minister. The capital is Nairobi. The national population is 8,929,000.

On the first anniversary of its independence, Kenya declares itself a Republic. Replacing Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as head of state is Kenya’s President Jomo Kenyatta. Kenya remains in the Commonwealth.

Arthur Ashe becomes the first man of African descent to be ranked #1 in professional tennis. The U.S. star is a direct descendant of Amar, an enslaved West African woman brought to America in 1735 on the slave ship The Doddington. Ashe’s family were kept as slaves by Samuel Ashe, the governor of the state of North Carolina, and they were given his surname.

A passenger train from Salisbury (Harare) Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) hits and explodes a landmine set on the tracks by insurgents fighting the white minority government. No fatalities result, but train service is suspended to Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls) until the war of independence concludes in 1980. Special armoured trains (pic) are designed for use on the line.

Abuja, Nigeria replaces Lagos as Nigeria’s capital. Construction begins on government buildings, hotels (pic: the Hilton) and businesses in one of Nigeria’s least developed areas.

Satellite television service officially begins in Egypt, and subscribers may watch government-owned Egyptian Satellite Channels One and Two and Nile TV International Channel. This creates the largest satellite TV market in the Arab world.

The Second Chirundu Bridge opens in Chirundu, Zambia, spanning the Zambezi River.

The Casablanca Tramway is opened by King Muhammad VI, who drives a tram through the city (pic). Within a year, the system will meet its goal of transporting 100,000 passengers a day.