National and International News Roundup: 20 November 2019

Opposition political parties have accused the government of a “conspiracy of silence” in the face of pre-electoral irregularities noticed in taxation offices, councils and other local offices in the process of compiling documents. They are accusing some administrators of frustrating efforts of some politicians in the document-compilation process.

There are mixed feelings among Cameroonians following an announcement of the launch of the recruitment of 500 translators and interpreters over the next five years.  According to the Secretary-General at the presidency, it is a step towards the implementation of recommendations of the national dialogue.

Security forces in Kumba, Meme Division in the South West Region of Cameroon are hunting for armed men believed to have buried a woman alive. One of the supposed killers is reported to have been shot dead by the military yesterday. The incident has raised more fears of insecurity.

The question on the minds of many as leaders of CEMAC member countries meet in Yaoundé in an extraordinary summit has been whether of free movement of people within CEMAC member countries will be up for discussion. Presidents of CEMAC member countries are to arrive Yaoundé tomorrow Thursday.  A welcome dinner is being prepared for them tomorrow evening by Cameroon Presidents Paul Biya and his wife at the unity palace.

The United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Peter Nagy Jr. has reiterated that the government of Cameroon cannot win the war in the Anglophone Regions, using the military. The diplomat says close collaborators of the president are deceiving him that he can win the war with military might. Mr Nagy while speaking in the US senate described the just-ended national dialogue as symbolic but not concrete enough to solve the problem.

Emmanuel Kogne an erstwhile staunch militant of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) has crossed over to the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party today. He got his CRM party card in Douala in the presence of some top MRC party militants in the Littoral region.

Members of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) wishing to run for the upcoming municipal and legislative elections, and other offices within basic organs of the party have been given until Friday, November 22, 2019, to submit their documents to the party headquarters in Odza Yaoundé. This information is contained in a circular signed by the Secretary-General of the party, Barrister Christopher Ndong today.

An internal war has been begun within the central committee of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) party. Former minister Zacharie Perevet is said to have fallen out with the chief scribe of the CPDM central committee, Jean Kuete over his refusal to grant investiture to his brother. Zacharie Perevet wanted his brother Hon. Gonondo Jean to be granted investiture to go back to the National Assembly where he has been for the last 30 years. Haven failed to get his brother on the original CPDM list for Mayo Tsanaga, he went ahead to produce his own list of candidates for the Division, sources say.

Nguisseu Simeu Franck and Mendounga Mbolo Minette have been named as the two persons who died in the 70-seater BUCA voyage coach accident today on the Douala-Yaoundé highway. Six others were severely wounded and are currently being treated at the emergency unit of the Edea regional hospital. The vehicle was heading to Yaoundé from Douala.

Grace Mafuatem, the mother of Christ Anu, an Ambazonian Diaspora leader has been released. Reports say she was freed by the Yaoundé military tribunal today Wednesday, November 22, 2019. She was arrested some months ago in Yaoundé. Her daughter arrested on the same day with her has been sent to the Kondengui prison.

Nigeria’s former attorney general, Mohammed Adoke, is reported to have been arrested in Dubai. Adoke’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, says Adoke was arrested by Interpol on Monday, November 11, 2019, after travelling to Dubai for a medical appointment. He is said to have been arrested seven months following a warrant issued by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency. This forms part of an ongoing investigation into one of the oil industry’s biggest suspected corruption scandals.

The US State Department has imposed sanctions on Amos Sitswila Wako, the former attorney general of Kenya. Wako is accused by the US of involvement in “significant corruption,” according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who made the declaration in a statement Monday. Wako and his immediate family, including his wife Flora Ngaira and son, Julius Wako, “are ineligible for entry into the United States.”

Results of the 8th day of play of the professional league One Championship in Cameroon. FEUTCHEU FC OF BANJOUN vs AVION OF NKAM=0-1; EDING SPORT OF LEKIE vs-PWD OF BAMENDA =2-1; AMBOUTOS OF MBOUDA vs-TKC OF YAOUNDE=1-2; COTON OF GAROUA vs-DRAGON OF YAOUNDE =0-1; USD OF DOUALA ‘s APEJES OF MFOU =2-1; PANTHER OF NDE ‘s STADE RENARD OF MELONG =0-0; CANON OF YAOUNDE vs-YONG SPORT OF BAMENDA =0-1; COLOMBE OF DJA &LOBO vs-FOVU OF BAHAM=1-1; AS FORTUNA vs-UMS Of LOUM=0-2