National and International News Roundup: 21 November 2019

Kosala locality in Kumba 2 subdivision has been identified as one of the strongholds of separatist fighters. The quarter has long been deserted by inhabitants given the rising cases of insecurity. The so-called ‘Amba boys’ are reported to be controlling activities in the quarter with those who go against their rules punished severely.

The body of a girl who has been identified as Nkeng Diana has been exhumed and deposited at the Kumba District Hospital Mortuary.  The girl is said to have been buried alive by supposed Ambazonian fighters who accused her of selling out their secrets to the military. Security forces are reported to have killed one of the suspected murderers.

The population of Ako subdivision in the North West Region of Cameroon have been warned to avoid anything to do with the twin elections slated for early next year. Ambazonian Fighters say family members of politicians wishing to do so will be targeted. Few days to the deadline for the deposition of documents, no activity relating to the upcoming election is taking place in the subdivision.

Mbah Eric Mbah, a militant of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in Batibo has declined a call to run for the municipal election next year. In a release signed yesterday, Mbah Eric Mbah cited insecurity as one of the reasons that have inspired his decision. This is the second case of an SDF militant stepping down from the race because of insecurity. Earlier this week, Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian decided to abandon the cause citing security reasons.

An extraordinary CEMAC submit is set to take place tomorrow in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The Leaders of CEMAC member countries arrived Yaoundé this evening. They are to discuss common issues of trade, transportation and economic development of the sub-region. Among issues to be discussed are regional integration and the Franc CFA. President Paul Biya of Cameroon is the current president of CEMAC. The first to arrive Yaoundé was Idriss Deby Itno of Chad, followed by Sosstain Tuadera of the Central African Republic, Denis Sasso  Ngasso of Congo and the Gabonese Vice president,  representing President Ali Bongo.

The fight within the CPDM party central committee has intensified as the 25 November deadline for the submission of documents by candidates running for the municipal and legislative elections is draws close. In accordance with the prescription of the National President of the party, requesting that opportunities be granted to young candidates, the list of candidates, presented by Cavaye Yegui Jibril for the Mayo Tsanaga Division has been rejected.

Several students of Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Deido have been hospitalized following a commotion this evening. Sources say the learners were obliged to attend a ceremony organized by the school after school hours, and in an attempt to escape a stampede was created at the main entrance, leaving them severely wounded.

Officers of the National Gendarmerie and police were this evening dispatched to Nkongsamba in Cameroon’s Littoral Region, to guard against a protest demonstration from members of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) Political Party. CRM Party supporters surrounded the Divisional Officer (D.O) for a peaceful protest, against what they say is the refusal of the DO to sign documents of their party candidates.

Officials of Elections Cameroon ELECAM say no document has been deposited at the structure, four days to the dateline to deposit documents for the upcoming twin election. In the Littoral region. 19 parliamentary seats are up for grabs, while 34 councils are available to be competed for in the municipals

The major national dialogue sensitisation campaign caravan has intensified its activities in the Donga Mantung division. The team took the peace message to the suburbs of the division

Nigerian Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has announced that he will be sponsoring 100 students at a university in the Nigerian city of Kano. Musa made the announcement as part of his efforts to commemorate his ambassadorial role for the Skyline University. Despite having a very large population and being the commercial centre of northern Nigeria, Kano suffers from an excruciating lack of opportunity for education, given that many simply cannot afford it.

Bishops of the Catholic Church in Kenya have launched a nationwide anti-corruption campaign. The campaign which is being carried out under the tagline “Let Us Break the Chains of Corruption”, was officially launched on October 5, 2019, and is expected to last for a total of six months, after which the prelates will assess its impact.

One of Africa’s biggest banks FirstRand has just become a possible takeover target. This comes after Billionaire Johann Rupert’s Remgro Ltd. and RMB Holdings Ltd started spinning off their stakes in Johannesburg-based FirstRand Ltd. with the objective of achieving better value for their investment in the banking group. The unbundling FirstRand means it no longer holds the pride of place as the dominant holder and its securities are much easier to trade.