National And International News Roundup – 29th June 2020

Mixed reactions from Cameroonians as recently recruited PhD holders marched along the streets of Yaounde today to express their gratitude to President Paul Biya for ensuring their employment. To some, they have been politically teleguided to take the action. Meantime, the intellectuals say it is normal for them to say thanks to the president they now describe as the father of the nation.

Leaders of the presidential reconstruction plan hold awareness and sensitisation talks in the South West when Ambazonia boys have called for a three day lock down. Paul Tasong,Chairman of the reconstruction plan says the reconstruction gives hope to the hopeless in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

A vehicle belonging to the proprietor of telepodium snack bar in Mutengene in the South West region set ablaze by unknown individual(s). Residents say before the incident today, there was an all night shooting in the town.

Twenty four pupils will be permitted to sit in each class for the writing of common entrance tomorrow Tuesday. The number according to school officials is to maintain physical distancing and prevent the spread of coronavirus. Candidates are to take along their food to the examination centers as food vendors shall not be permitted to sell in the centers.

People living in swampy quarters in Douala are feeling the pinch of the wet season. With heavy rains that battered the city of Douala at the weekend, many quarters witnessed rain water flowing into houses.They blame the poor construction of drainage systems.

Custom officers in Ekok in the South West region of Cameroon have denied allegations of illegally reopening the borders with the Federal Republic of Nigeria mostly at night just to make money. To them, the closing and opening of the borders is the sole responsibility of immigration police.

There is another obituary at the Cameroon Bar as Bar Jacob Mpako Njume passed away this Monday morning at the Presbyterian hospital in Kumba in the South West Region. He died after being admitted at the hospital for 3 days of a protracted illness. His remains have been kept at the Kumba district hospital mortuary.

His Majesty Jean Ramaut Sokoujou, paramount ruler of Bamenjou in the Upper Plateaux says Cameroonians should rejoice because the “Baobab is falling”. Painting an obscure picture of Cameroon which he says has been destroyed by the current regime, the Dean of traditional rulers says Cameroonians will not accept any form of power transfer again, as was the case in 1981. Jean Ramaut says youths should not give in to blood shed, because enough blood is being shed in the Anglophone regions.

Discussions between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea on the recent border tension have kicked off. Equatorial Guinean Minister of defense has ended a two day visit to Yaounde. During the visit, he discussed in-camera with his Cameroonian counterpart Joseph Beti Assomo. This comes after the project to build a wall separating Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea was halted.

The dead body of a 35-year-old old man has been discovered floating on river Logone in Kousseri in the Mayo Tsanaga Division of the Far North Region on the border with Chad. The discovery Monday June 29th 2020, was made by individuals who later alerted elements of the army rescue unit.

A 9-year-old boy has died from electric shock at the Yaounde 1 university residential area popularly known as Bonas. The incident, according to local sources happened Friday June 26, 2020. The victim, identified as Amougwe Jimmy, was playing football with friends before the unfortunate incident.

Forty street children taken from the streets in Yaounde as this Monday June 29 have been placed at the Cameroon institute of the child in Betamba, Mbam and Kim Division of the Centre Region. According to a release from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Minister Pauline Irene Nguene will personally lead this operation in a ceremony that will hold at the said institution. Once at the Betamba specialised center, the children are expected to follow a re-education course for not more than three years depending on their age and behaviour.

Would Cameroon host 2021 African cup of nations? This question is expected to be answered tomorrow Tuesday as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) holds an executive meeting in Cairo-Egypt. Before the meeting, there have been rumours that the continental football body can postpone the competition as a result of COVID-19. Note that, qualification matches were suspended as the coronavirus pandemic spread on the continent.

Algeria’s borders are to remain closed “until Allah sets us free from this pandemic”, President Abdelamadjid Tebboune has said. Some 305 new infections in a 24-hour period were reported on Sunday, in a new record. Three weeks after easing lockdown restrictions, Algeria has registered a huge surge in new infections in the province of Setif and other eastern parts of the country.

Lesotho’s former first lady – who has been charged with murdering her husband’s estranged wife – has been granted bail despite police objections that she might use it to escape. The deputy police commissioner, Paseka Moketem, said Maesaiah Thabane had fled before and was likely to do so again.

Listeners in the UK hoping to tune into the newly launched Times Radio service on Monday were in for a surprise. A radio station with a similar name broadcasts in Malawi, which is exactly where users of Amazon’s smart speaker, Alexa, were sent. So instead of hearing a headline interview with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, they got an in-depth discussion of Malawian politics in the Chewa language.

Zimbabwe’s Central Bank has permitted limited transactions on mobile payment platforms but the stock exchange remains suspended over accusations of economic sabotage. On Monday, EcoCash, the largest mobile payment company announced that individual transactions and bill payments would still be permitted. Bulk money traders and cash transactions would however remain banned.

Many people are fleeing the port town of Mocímboa da Praia in northern Mozambique following intense fighting between the army and Islamist militants. Some are leaving in boats, while others are hiding in the bush. Helicopters and heavy weapons have been used, causing significant casualties on both sides.

A fire at a hospital in the Egyptian city of Alexandria has killed at least seven patients and injured seven members of staff. Egyptian media said a short circuit in the air conditioning system at the Badrawi Hospital triggered the blaze in an area occupied by people suffering from coronavirus.

The Tanzanian government has issued detailed new guidelines for schools, colleges and other educational institutions as they fully reopen on Monday. Among the guidelines is that pupils below the age of eight and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma, heart and sickle cell should not wear masks.