National And International News Roundup – 10th March 2021

Relative calm has returned to Bamenda, North West region after a series of gun battles during the day paralysed the town. Reports say two security personnel were killed in a fire exchange with separatist fighters.

Cameroonians are eager to see Marcel Niat Njifenji; President of the Senate tomorrow Thursday as the first parliamentary session for the year 2021 opens. Since June 2020, the second personality in Cameroon has not taken part in an official ceremony. During this period, there have been rumours of his failing health coupled with advancing age.

Access to Cameroon’s National Assembly and the Senate will be strictly restricted to lawmakers, workers in the legislative houses, members of government and accredited journalists. The decision is to limit the crowds and respect COVID-19 preventive measures. Despite this, pundits have argued that the number of people will definitely be more than 50 against instructions from the Prime Minister.

Three men have been arrested in Yaounde on accusations of attacking a university lecturer on the 10th of February 2021. The men are reported to have stopped the vehicle of Prof. Claude Bekolo seizing all his valuables. The arrest of the suspects followed an immediate complaint tabled at the security service by the victim.

A COVID-19 prevention measure for Cameroonians not to gather in areas where there are more than 50 people, is grossly violated in Douala and other places. Activities continue unperturbed in drinking spots, bars, churches, markets and others. Cameroonians argue that the struggle for survival will not permit a respect of such a measure.

Some Cameroonians have been using the social media to call on President Paul Biya to be the first to publicly take the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. They add that lawmakers, members of government and those ranking as such should equally lead in taking the vaccine. This request comes as fears of possible adverse effects of the vaccine are on the rise.

Equatorial Guinea has begun three days of national mourning after the deaths of at least 105 people following explosions at a munitions depot on Sunday. Flags in Equatorial Guinea will fly at half-mast for the next three days. The US has sent a team of experts to support the search and rescue operations and drugs and medical equipment from Spain are expected to arrive in the country on Wednesday.

At least 22 people have been killed in a village in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, officials say. Some reports say they were shot in their homes, others say they were taken from a church and shot in a forest. Another 20 people were kidnapped and later released. A local official said the gunmen were members of the rebel Oromo Liberation Army. Most of the dead are said to be members of the Amhara ethnic group.

The Libyan parliament has approved the government of national unity presented by the new interim prime minister, Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah. The vote took place at a rare session of the parliament in the city of Sirte. The unity government is the latest stage in a UN-backed plan that is aimed at trying to resolve a decade of violence and instability in Libya, with an election due to be held in December.

Unions in Nigeria have started nationwide protests over a proposed change in the minimum wage. In 2018, the unions reached an agreement with the Nigerian government on a minimum wage of 30,000 naira ($65; £45) a month. But some state governments say they can’t afford to pay this and want to introduce a separate, lower minimum wage.

Twenty-five people belonging to the same family were among 35 people who died in Mozambique’s northern Muecate district after reportedly eating wild plants and fruits, the authorities say. Local officials say instances of people eating wild fruits, tubers and even wild grass have recently been reported in the region. According to a report on state television, TVM, residents have been grinding wild grass to cook xima – a traditional Mozambican porridge, usually made from maize flour.

Foreign news: BBC