National And International News Roundup – 15th December 2020

Cameroonians have taken to social media condemning xenophobic statements and actions made by HRM Ewome Eko John, traditional ruler of Bwassa village in Buea Sub-Division in the South West Region of Cameroon. The traditional ruler popularly known as Moja Moja wants people from the North West to return to their region on accusation that they are Separatists.

Nine days to the celebration of the Christian Feast of Christmas, traders selling Christmas gadgets say business is not encouraging. They point accusing fingers on the ravaging affects of Coronavirus pandemic. Despite this, they are optimistic that business will boom soon .

Prices of basic food stuffs are on a steady rise in Douala. A 25kg bag of rice formerly sold for 11.000fcfa today is witnessing a 1000fcfa increase. The situation is typical of imported goods. Meantime, prices of agricultural products grown in Cameroon are equally on the rise.

Hundreds of people in Douala have been streaming into Laquinetinie Hospital for free consultation by specialists.  The exercise that started yesterday will end on the 18th of December. It is part of activities to mark Laquinetinie Sensitisation Week aimed at enlightening the population on the activities carried out by the hospital.

A man in Douala has dragged his daughter to court over physical assault on him. The man in question reported that he has on several counts been assaulted by his own daughter, also revealing he has on some occasions been hospitalised as a result. The young girl in question is currently being detained at the New Bell Prison while the case which is being handled by the Ndokoti Court of First Instance, has been adjourned for Monday, December 21.

Three lives have been lost at the Village neighbourhood in Douala this evening. Eyewitnesses say they died as a speedy truck crushed a motorcycle coming from the opposite side of the road. Details later.

Cameroon International Footballer and Indomitable Lion’s goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa today had his contract terminated by his Belgian club FC KV Ostende for disciplinary purposes. The club states that the goalkeeper contrary to lockdown rules organised a house party which has put his team mates and other neighbours at risk of contacting the Coronavirus.

Prime Minister Chief Dr. Joseph Dion has expressed his satisfaction at the work done in Douala in preparation for the CHAN 2020 to begin in January. After careful assessment of the infrastructure and other amenities, the PM noted that Douala was well prepared to host the tournament. He also made a stop at the Brasseries du Cameroun Football academy in Bonamoussadi.

The UN says more than two million children in Ethiopia’s Tigray region are cut off from humanitarian assistance as violence continues. Despite agreements with the Ethiopian government, humanitarian agencies have complained that they are being prevented from travelling to Tigray where the military has been fighting regional government forces since early November. The UN’s children’s agency, Unicef, says the longer access is delayed, the worse the situation will become for children urgently in need of assistance. It has called for full access.

Facebook says it has uncovered rival French and Russian disinformation campaigns aimed at deceiving and influencing internet users in the Central African Republic ahead of an election later this month. This was the first time it had found “two campaigns – from France and Russia – actively engage with one another including by befriending, commenting and criticising the opposing side for being fake”, the social media giant added in a statement. Guinea’s President Alpha Condé has said that all ministers will have to declare their assets and those of their relatives to curb corruption. Any company with close ties to them would be barred from bidding for government contracts, he added. Mr Condé, 82, was speaking at a ceremony where he was sworn in for a controversial third term following an election which was marred by violence and opposition allegations of fraud. His inauguration in the capital, Conakry, was attended by 11 African leaders

Tunisia’s Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi says his country is not interested in normalising relations with Israel. Morocco last week became the fourth member of the Arab League to announce diplomatic ties with Israel in the past few months. While on an official visit to France, Mr Mechichi, in response to a question by journalists on whether Tunisia intended to follow in Morocco’s footsteps, said that “every country is free to make the choice it makes. It is not the choice Tunisia has made.”

Kenya will open a consulate in the breakaway state of Somaliland by the end of March while Somaliland will upgrade the status of its liaison office in Kenya to that of a consulate. The announcement was made in a joint communique issued by Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somaliland’s President Muse Bihi Abdi at the end of the latter’s visit to Kenya.

The only female of Liberia’s 30-member Senate retained her seat in last Tuesday’s nationwide elections. Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence defeated her main challenger, former Foreign Minister Gbehzohn Milton Findley, by around 2,000 votes. The 52-year-old widow and mother of three has been celebrating with her supporters in the second city, Buchanan.

Foreign news: BBC