National And International News Roundup – 28th September 2020

The Cameroon Renaissance Movement party has denounced the continuous house arrest imposed on Professor Maurice Kamto by the regime of President Paul Biya. Mr Kamto’s residence remains heavily militarised since the 20th of September.

Lawyers of the MRC today met with Prof Maurice Kamto and other party bigwigs in his residence today. Among other aspects, they launched a fund to enable them cater for those arrested in the September 22nd protest. Kamto remains under house arrest since the day before the protest.

Four ‘Stand up for Cameroon’ members have today been transferred to the Douala Central Prison by the military tribunal. They were arrested on September 18th, 2020 during a meeting in Bali-Douala and detained at the Bonanjo Gendarmerie Legion for days. They have been accused of tentative conspiracy and instigation for insurrection.

A lady is being detained in Kumba, South West region, accused of killing two kids. The lady in question is believed to have poisoned four kids. Two others that survived are receiving medical attention.

The hearing of appeals on post-electoral litigations for the February 2020 council elections will resume tomorrow Tuesday September 29th, 2020; at the Administrative bench of the Supreme Court in Yaounde. More than 20 files will be examined out of over 100 submitted by political parties. So far, the Administrative Bench has ordered for a re-run of City Mayor elections in Kumba and Makenene.

A manhunt has been launched by the police on a lady in Foumbot, Noun Division of the West Region, who allegedly stole a 3-months old baby. The accused had reportedly taken out time to plan her action as it is said that she had been selling cloths to the baby’s mother, while desperately trying to get close to her.

Hundreds of travellers plying the Douala-Yaounde highway, have been left stranded today due to a truck accident which occurred yesterday night. The heavy timber truck has blocked the road completely, barring access to vehicles coming from both sides of the highway.

One person has been confirmed dead in yesterday’s road accident in Muea, Buea. The deceased whose name was only gotten as ‘Divine’ died instantly after their car collided with a taxi. It is alleged that the taxi driver was drunk and driving on the wrong lane. Divine and several members of the CYF Christians were returning from a session when the accident occurred.

Some trained teachers are threatening to boycott this school year, after not getting integrated into the public service, courtesy of their many years of teaching experience. The disgruntled teachers in Douala say the Prime Minister has failed to keep his promise of ordering their integration. Their threats come less than a week to school resumption.

Some parents are taking their kids of school-going-age out of the North West Region. These parents hope to register their kids in schools in different regions. They want to avoid any prolonged lockdown that might be imposed by separatists to frustrate back-to-school efforts.

There have been different reactions following the government’s decision to introduce a two-shift classes during this school year 2020/2021. Some parents think the system will reduce lessons taught to students. To the teachers, it will be an additional burden on them as they will be obliged to teach for many hours.

Two people have been killed in Bali in the North West Region of Cameroon. Residents accuse the military of killing the villagers. The military is reported to be hunting separatist fighters.

Three corpses have been discovered floating on River Naka. The river separates Bali and Bamenda in the North West Region of Cameroon. Inhabitants say corpses are often seen in the river.

Pubs in Kenya will reopen on Tuesday, six months after they were shut to curb the spread of coronavirus. Trading hours, however, have been restricted – they have to close at 22:00 local time. The announcement was made by President Uhuru Kenyatta as he addressed the nation on the government’s latest initiatives to tackle the pandemic.

In a highly unusual tactic, militants suspected to be linked to the Islamic State (IS) group used a donkey strapped with explosives to ambush the convoy of the governor of Nigeria’s north-eastern Borno state, an official who was in one of the vehicles has told the BBC. The latest ambush came after Governor Babagana Zulum survived an attack by militants while he was travelling to an area near Lake Chad on Friday. His convoy was ambushed again on Sunday as he was returning to the state capital, Maiduguri, and this time militants putting a donkey on the road, the official said.

At least 40 regional government officials in Ethiopia’s western state of Benishangul-Gumuz have been sacked following a wave of ethnic-related violence, the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) has said. Ten of the officials are now under investigation, it added, without giving further details.

A plan to launch a new currency to replace the CFA franc used by several countries in West Africa may not happen for at least five years. Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has said the coronavirus pandemic has derailed the project to introduce the eco currency this year. Last December, the eight countries which use the CFA franc – all former French colonies plus Guinea-Bissau – said they would reduce their economic ties to France, while there has been a parallel move to create a single currency for the whole of West Africa.

Tanzania’s main opposition presidential candidate, Tundu Lissu, has been summoned to appear before the National Electoral Commission’s ethics committee on Tuesday after he alleged that President John Magufuli had convened a meeting with district executive directors to discuss rigging October’s election. Senior election official Wilson Mahere said the allegation was meant to paint a picture that the poll would not be conducted in a free and fair atmosphere.

NigeriansMustGo has been the top trending hashtag on Twitter in South Africa, in the latest sign of growing xenophobia against foreigners in the country. This comes just days after a small protest was held outside the Nigerian High Commission in the capital, Pretoria, under the hashtag #PutSouthAfricansFirst. The latest hashtag has been partly fuelled by a report in local media that a police raid led to five Nigerians being arrested and charged with human trafficking after 11 women were found to be working as sex workers at brothels disguised as a bed-and-breakfast.

Foreign news: BBC