National and International News Roundup – 21st January 2020
People in Cameroon’s North West Region are still to fully accept calls from the Chairman of Elections Cameroon challenging them to overcome fear and make political choices on February 9, 2020. Enow Abrams Egbe was speaking in Bamenda Tuesday, January 21, 2020 as the Central African country holds local elections next month. Enow Abrams failed to mention how Internally Displaced Persons will vote next month. Over six hundred thousand people have registered on the electoral list in the region according to ELECAM.
The February 9, 2020 twin elections in Cameroon will not be inclusive. This is the observation made at the end of an encounter between the Minister of Communication, the representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations for the Central African Sub-region and the Secretary General of the Economic Community of Central African States. The event took place in Yaoundé in the presence of press men. Rene Emmanuel Sadi, warned media practitioners in Cameroon against the promotion of hate speech, tribalism, and non respect of the journalism ethics in covering the upcoming February 2020 local elections.
Brigadier General Nkah Valere, Commander of the 5th Joint Military Legion in Bamenda has issued an open threat to Ambazonian fighters/separatists in the North West region of Cameroon. He says the latter will be crushed in the days ahead while reassuring the population to trust the military and collaborate with them.
There is joy in some homes in Kumba, SWR following the rescue of twenty three kids from the hands of separatist fighters by the military Tuesday. The military said an attack was launched in an Amba camp killing two fighters and saving the lives of 23 children. The children were kidnapped and taken away in Kosala Kumba early Tuesday morning.
Threats against English speaking journalists on the social media in Cameroon are witnessing an alarming increase. The President of the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ, Jude Viban has called on the Yaounde authorities to investigate and unravel faces of people issuing threats to journalists. Journalist Kum Leonard, one of those under threats recently visited the restive Meme Division to carryout investigative reports.
Martinez Zogo, a Cameroonian radio animator remains under detention in Yaounde. He was arrested last Friday on the instructions of the Director of the Civil Cabinet at the Presidency of the Republic, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo. Martinez Zogo is reported to have uttered derogatory and defamatory statements against the family of Samuel Ayolo Mvondo. An association of independent communicators have written to the Director of Civil Cabinet pleading for the release of their colleague.
A lady by name Belinda Afanyu has had a hand chopped off by suspected separatists fighters in Mbot village, Donga Mantung Division of Cameroon’s North West Region. Local sources say the attackers targeted Belinda Afanyu for sending her son, Blaise Afanyu to school. Blaise Afanyu, 7 years old was assassinated by the armed men.
Atangana Mebara, former Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon has been admitted at the Yaoundé Emergency Unit according to sources. The former Presidential chief scribe has been serving a jail term at the Yaoundé Central Prison. It remains unknown what he is suffering from.
The Minister of Sports and Physical Education has given 10 days to contractors at Omnisport and Japoma stadia in Douala to complete the construction of parking space. Minister Narcise Moulle Kombi visited stadia under construction in Douala today warning that all need to be set before the visit of a CAF inspection team on February 9, 2020.
Draws for the African Zone qualifiers ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup have been made known. Cameroon has been drawn in group D with Côte D’ivoire, Mozambique and Malawi. Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions have represented Africa at a record seven World Cups, while Ivory Coast have made three appearances. (Source Foreign New: BBC Africa).
Parliament in Burkina Faso has voted in favour of a new civilian volunteer force “to defend the nation” against “terrorist attacks”. The president still needs to agree to the law, which could happen by the end of the month.
Hundreds of demonstrators took the streets of Kumasi, Ghana, on Tuesday to protest against a planned new voters’ register. The protesters, made up of opposition party supporters, say that the Electoral Commission’s plan is a ploy to manipulate the results of upcoming elections in favour of the governing New Patriotic Party.
The Portuguese bank EuroBic has announced it will end its business relationship with Africa’s richest woman, Isabel dos Santos. The move follows an investigation by the BBC and partner organisations which uncovered a number of questionable deals by the billionaire. Ms Dos Santos says the claims against her are entirely false.
Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has vowed to stage peaceful protests against President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose government, he says, has precipitated the national economic slide. Annual inflation has risen to over 500% and most people live in poverty.
Mimi Mefo Info
