National And International News Roundup – 22nd December 2020

Reports say up to five people were killed today at Dienyi village in Meme Division, Southwest, following a military operation aimed at sourcing out Ambazonia commander, Ikeku. Sources say about 25 homes were burnt during the military operation, with several civilians arrested and detained, including eight women. A source in Dienyi said among those who were arrested and detained was Mrs Caroline Mokwe,  wife of the traditional ruler of Dienyi village. Details later.

No woman has been elected president of a regional council in Cameroon. Despite earlier speculations, the ten regional presidents are all men; 09 from the ruling Cameroon People Democratic Movement (CPDM) and one from the UNDP party .

Former Mayor of Bafoussam I Council, Jules Hilaire Focka Focka is the first ever Regional Council President. The former Mayor was chosen today 22nd December 2020 during a closed-door meeting which was held at the CPDM Party House in Bafoussam, in anticipation of the upcoming regional council session.

Gifts from President Paul Biya to internally displaced persons from the North West Region have been considered nothing compared to pains the regime has caused the people. To some IDPs, president Paul Biya and his regime are solely responsible for the chaos, and consider gifts without solving the problem for peace to reign, to be useless.

Commander of the 3rd Military Legion, General Agha Robinson has debunked information that a group of Cameroonians in the Central African Republic border are planning to unseat President Paul Biya. He has termed the reports fake and has insinuated that the borders will continue being secured and the security on the look-out for any threats.

Prof. Elvis Ngole Ngole says “I don’t think my head is too big to be worth 100 million francs cfa.” Speaking on Equinoxe TV this evening, the director of CPDM Academy wonders why separatists in the diaspora have placed a prize for any one that will provide heads of Prof. Elvis Ngole Ngole and Minister Paul Tasong. He called on them to seek the way of peace.

A mini Agro-pastoral show has opened in Douala today. The intention is to permit people purchase agricultural products at lower prices for the celebration of the feast of Christmas.

A suspected bandit and murderer is in detention in Mbanga, Moungo Division in the Littoral Region of Cameroon. The 24-year-old boy attempted stealing from a woman and as she resisted, the said bandit stabbed her to death.

Dramatic scenes in Bangoulap, the West Region as a father reportedly stabbed his son to death over money issues. The deceased, Asonga had reportedly been pressuring his father to pay him the money he owed. The boy who just returned from Equatorial Guinea threatened selling one of his father’s property when the old man got furious and stabbed him to death. He is presently under detention at the Bangoulap Gendarmerie.

One of the three children, Melviane Foka who was attacked by her father in Douala, after he realised they were not his biological children has died. The funeral rights of the girl are to be done in utmost privacy according to family sources. The two other children are still under medical care in Douala.

Kenyan MPs have voted to end tax cuts put in place in early April to help citizens to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the relief just weeks after the country recorded its first coronavirus case. The measures included reduction of income tax, value-added tax and corporate tax by between 2% and 5%.

A joint Israeli-US delegation has arrived in Morocco aboard the first direct commercial flight from Israel. It was made possible by a recent US-brokered agreement to re-establish diplomatic ties. The visiting delegation will sign a series of travel and other accords that will help cement the warming relationship.

The UN says it is increasingly concerned about the plight of civilians in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and has once again called on the government to allow full access so that allegations of war crimes can be investigated. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said two humanitarian assessment missions were able to enter the region on Monday.

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia has announced its plan to conduct the postponed national election in late May or early June next year. Soliana Shimelis, the board’s communication adviser, told the BBC that preparations were underway. Opposition parties have however complained that a government crackdown against its officials had disrupted their plans to prepare for the polls.

Sudan and Ethiopia have begun negotiations to demarcate their border following a clash in a disputed area last week. Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen is in Khartoum and is meeting Sudan’s cabinet minister, Omar Manis. Ethiopian forces reportedly ambushed Sudanese troops along the border, killing four and wounding more than 20 others.

Foreign news: BBC