The Cameroon Renaissance Movement party, MRC says its leader, Maurice Kamto is ready to confront president Paul Biya, leader of the CPDM party and Cameroon’s President in a public debate. The MRC Secretary General Barrister Ndong Christopher who has condemned government’s brutality on peaceful protesters yesterday, said they will nor stop until there is change in the country’s leadership.
After over 24 hours after of detention incommunicado, Journalist Tah Jarvis and his Cameraman
Kebong Christian have been released from Brigade Maritime in Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital. The media men working with My Media Prime Television in Douala were arrested Tuesday September 22nd in Bonaberi while covering nationwide protest called by the Cameroon Renaissance movement party.
Lindovi Nijio, journalist of La Nouvelle Expression French daily newspaper has also been released. The journalist was arrested while exercising his duties. Atleast six journalists were arrested on Tuesday.
Tibor Peter Nagy Jr., the United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs had criticised the Cameroon government for its heavy handed response to opposition protests. The politician took to twitter today to express his dissatisfaction at the crackdown that saw many arrested.
Members of the Standup For Cameroon movement arrested last Friday will be spending their second night at the Newbell Central Prison in Douala. All four were arraigned in court yesterday on charges of insurrection, revolution, conspiracy among others. Kah Walla, leader of the movement and other opposition leaders have been mobilising a legal team and finances, to assist them and ensure their release.
Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement party says the September 22 protest was a “resounding success”. He tweeted hours ago saying, “….warm congratulations to the Cameroonian populations who have gone out in large numbers.” Kamto called a protest to end Biya’s 40 year rule and address the Anglophone crisis. “On 22 Sept, the people of Cameroon expressed their opposition to the continuation of the civil war in the North-West and South-West regions, and to the maintenance of an iniquitous electoral system which makes democratic expression of the Cameroonian people impossible,” he said.
Ten political parties have deposited their files to run for regional elections. The Election body’s director made the announcement today. The list of candidates retained for the election will be made public on the 7th of October 2020 ahead of election slated for December 6th. Tuesday was the deadline for the deposition of files at ELECAM offices.
Activities resume in Douala today after a day of protest. Despite this, military present remain visibly at Ndokoti roundabout and other major streets where there was a tussle between the military and protesters.
The last 24 hours in the North West and the South West regions has been a difficult one for some families as a total of ten people were summarily executed by the military. Four suspected Ambazonian fighters were shot dead on Tuesday while four young boys, and an elderly woman were shot dead in Muea early today. Their killings have provoked national and international outrage.
There is fear of the unknown in Muea, South West region of Cameroon after five people were shot dead this morning by the military. Witnesses say military men stormed the place threatening to take away some boys and later killed four of them and a woman. Cameroon military has not issued any official statement on that.
The Minister of Secondary Education, Dr Pauline Nalova Lyonga has confirmed that two new subjects will be introduced in secondary schools. They are: Farming and Environment. While launching the start of a new school year, the minister equally revealed that most schools with high populations will be split to shifts so as to enhance social distance effectively.
A Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) postponed in April because of the coronavirus pandemic will now be held in June next year in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. The biennial meeting is the Commonwealth’s highest consultative and policy-making gathering. It will be held in the week of 21 June 2021. The Commonwealth secretariat said member countries had agreed on the new date.
Kapchorwa hospital in eastern Uganda has been partially closed after 19 staff members tested positive for coronavirus. The district chief administrative officer said only maternal health services and the laboratory will remain open to deal with emergencies. All the other wards together with the out-patient department and the pharmacy have been closed. Officials have advised the community to use other health facilities in the meantime.
At least 25 people, including primary schoolchildren, have been killed after a lorry transporting petrol exploded in the city of Lokoja in central Nigeria. The police in Kogi say the lorry driver lost control on a busy major highway and rammed into oncoming vehicles on Wednesday morning. The lorry experienced brake failure, crashed into some other vehicles and exploded near the Kogi State Polytechnic, police say.
Members of an organisation called Christians of South Africa have been holding a demonstration outside the national prosecutor’s office to push for the release of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso. The preacher has been in custody for three years facing 97 charges, including human trafficking, racketeering, and rape. Mr Omotoso and his co-accused have denied the allegations.
Kenyan families will now play active roles in the burial of loved ones who have died from Covid-19 after the authorities relaxed restrictions. Previously families watched from a distance as health officials in full protective gear took over burials. Health officials now say that bodies of Covid-19 victims do not transmit the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC have not stated whether a corpse can transmit Covid-19, but have updated burial protocols to allow families to give their loved a decent send off.
The Ethiopian parliament has passed a resolution allowing for the country’s postponed general election to be held within the span of a year. The new Ethiopian year began on 11 September so the elections will be held before September next year. Parliament passed the resolution during an extraordinary session on Tuesday. One MP voted against the resolution and eight abstained, according to the Ethiopian News Agency. The country had postponed the elections due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Foreign news: BBC
