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President Paul Biya has used his executive powers to suspend the widely criticised and controversial phone tax law. The law which was introduced by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications met stiff resistance from Cameroonian youths, celebrities and politicians.
Cameroonians have been expressing satisfaction following the suspension of the controversial phone tax by the President of the Republic. The news broke out this afternoon in a correspondence from the Secretary General at the Presidency to the Secretary General at the Prime Minister’s office. The correspondence says the government should look for alternative measures to recover the tax.
Camair-co has finally relaunched it’s activities after several postponements. The Corporation was expected to resume activities today October 19, 2020 with inaugural flights from Douala to Yaounde, and Yaounde to Garoua. The flight is going to be the first flight by Camair-co in more than 8 months.
CPDM militant, Andre Luther Meka, has denied claims that his group demanded funds from the civil cabinet of the presidency worth 26 million FCFA to defend president Biya’s daughter, Brenda Biya in court. He however maintains that his group was created to counter the actions of diasporan-based pressure group, Brigade Anti-Sardinard (BAS). The group orchestrated an action to evict Brenda Biya from a hotel in France where she was allegedly spending 3 million FCFA per night.
Cameroon football legend, Samuel Eto’o has lashed out at France Football for nominating him for the position of the best right winger. The footballer bashed his nomination saying he was a seasoned centre-forward and not a right-winger.
One person has been confirmed dead and enormous material damages incurred in Loum, Moungo Division in the Littoral Region, following a fire. This happened in a house where fuel is stored for sale. Inhabitants have condemned the storage of fuel in residential houses.
Inhabitants of Bamenda say poor road network is a major problem in the city. Car owners say they are forced to constantly repair their cars, while passengers say taxis and motorcycles charge high amounts of money for short distances.
Tembu Daniel popularly know as 237 Town Cryer, says gendarmes have extorted the sum of 100.000frs from him in Yaounde. This happened in Yaounde yesterday. The gendarmes say the money is a penalty for protesting against phone tax. The comedian launched a campaign against phone tax in Cameroon.
Three people have been confirmed dead and six others rescued as a boat capsized in Lake Ngereh in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The victims were returning from the farm when they spotted a hippopotamus in the lake. In panic, as they attempted to escape, three drowned.
Bags of marijuana have been confiscated from traders in Mbouda in the West Region of Cameroon. Leaves of the drug were in bags alongside maize.
The Ministry of Defence says the fire incident at Gendarmerie Brigade at Up Station Bamenda last week was as a result of poor electrical network. In a release signed by the head of communications at the Ministry of Defence, he says this happened when electricity was re-established after a blackout.
The construction of the Kazungula Bridge, which connects Zambia and Botswana across the Zambezi river, has been completed and is ready for use. The $259m (£200m) structure, which was built jointly by the two countries, was started in 2014. The road and rail bridge will speed up the movement of goods and people within the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region.
Gender activists in Malawi are planning to sue the government over lack of gender balance in parastatal board appointments announced by President Lazarus Chakwera in September. The Women’s Manifesto Movement (WMM) said despite trying to engage the government to rethink the appointments, the parastatals had started working without the matter being resolved in violation of the country’s constitution. They said they will challenge in court any decisions made by the parastatals.
South Sudan’s health ministry says that more than 3,000 people who arrived from abroad defied its Covid-19 safety measures, including self-isolation. The country reopened its airspace for international flights in July, four months after suspending flights to help limit the spread of coronavirus. Arriving passengers have to isolate for 14 days.
The warring parties in Libya have begun around of negotiations in Geneva, chaired by the United Nations. The talks have brought together two delegations of military officials. One represents the UN-backed government in the capital, Tripoli, and the other has been sent by the eastern-based commander, General Khalifa Haftar.
Police in Uganda have arrested 25 travellers suspected of presenting forged Covid-19 test certificates. Some 23 travellers were arrested on Sunday while checking in at Entebbe International airport near the capital, Kampala, while two others were apprehended on arrival. The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson, Vianney Luggya, said the suspects are being held by aviation police. They will face charges of forgery and uttering of false documents.
The Sudanese authorities say they’re ready to cooperate with the International Criminal Court over charges faced by the former President, Omar al-Bashir, and other ex-officials. A delegation led by the ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda is currently in Sudan, investigating the conflict in Darfur in the early 2000s. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said his government was committed to achieving justice. Bashir has been charged by the ICC with genocide and crimes against humanity.
Foreign news: BBC
