National And International News Roundup 3rd August 2020

Three have been injured as an artisanal bomb exploded at Nkwen neighbourhood in Bamenda North West region of Cameroon. The explosion took place this morning as separatists battle to keep inhabitants at home to respect Monday traditional ghost town.

Close to a thousand shops have been sealed at the Kumba main Market in the South West Region of Cameroon. The exercise was carried out today by Victor Ngoh Nkelle, Kumba City Mayor under the watchful eyes of the SDO of Meme Division.Traders have criticised the action saying government is incapable to provide security to those who dare to violate rules put in place by fighters.

An unidentified body discovered in a near by bush at the Mile 17 neighbourhood in Buea has been deposited in the mortuary by council workers.The corpse was discovered by neighbours  behind the petrol station.

There have been diverse reactions to a decision taken by the Governor of the North West Region suspending the salaries of over a hundred civil servants for abandoning their duty posts. To others, it’s an unfair decision given that many civil servants are fleeing insecurity given that government has failed to ensure their safety. To some it’s a welcome initiative.

Candidates of Baccalaureate examination have begun rewriting subjects cancelled by the Minister of Secondary Education for fraud. The exercise started today.

Residents at mile four Limbe say flames sparked from a short circuit burning down an apartment yesterday. Locals used buckets to put out the flames.

Nganyu Thomas Tangem is considering possibilities to sue the superintendent of Yaounde Central prison Kondengui for violating his right.  The Cameroonian awaiting trial is being chained to his sick bed on instructions from the prison administration. He is in a critical health condition

Cardinal Tumi has been honoured by the Fon of Ndzerem Mbokam in the North West region. The Cardinal was conferred the traditional title of Shufai Kintam (father of the cross) in Douala today morning.

A letter written by a group of Burundian refugees living in a camp in Rwanda asks their president to cooperate with Rwanda and the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, to repatriate them. However, there is not yet an agreement between the two countries and the UNHCR on how to carry it out. More than 60,000 Burundian refugees have been living in Mahama camp, in eastern Rwanda, since the 2015 political crisis over the late former President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term.

A prominent Catholic bishop and a priest in Togo are reported to have been targeted by spyware on their mobile phones – the first known cases that involve members of the clergy. Last year, the messaging service WhatsApp said 1,400 people around the world – including human rights activists – were being listened to using a spyware made in Israel.

In Somalia two security guards have been killed after stopping a suicide bomber from entering a busy restaurant in the capital, Mogadiushu. The bomber detonated the device after being confronted by the guards. Several customers were injured during the blast in the city’s Hamar Jajab district.

Sudanese authorities say at least five people have been killed and thousands of homes damaged by heavy floods over the weekend. Interior Minister Eltrafi Elsdik said nearly 3,500 houses were either completely or partially destroyed. Last week heavy downpours led to a dam wall collapsing in Blue Nile state which destroyed more than 600 homes.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned of harsh action on “hyenas” who are profiteering from public funds intended for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. His stinging remarks, contained in his weekly newsletter, are aimed at state officials who are accused of taking up government tenders, business people who are inflating prices of supplies of protective gear and local administrators who are stockpiling relief food.

Activists in Tanzania say new rules that restrict online content are infringing on people’s freedom of expression. Under the new legislation, organising, planning or even supporting any form of demonstration online is now illegal. The new rules have also banned sharing of information about an infectious disease outbreak without government permission.

South African supermarket chain, Shoprite, says it is considering discontinuing its operations in Nigeria. The retail giant which entered the Nigerian market in 2005, said it will consider to “sell all, or a majority stake” of its retail operations in the West African country. In a statement released on Monday detailing its 2019 financial year that ended in June, the company said the decision was made “following approaches from various potential investors, and in line with our re-evaluation of the group’s operating model in Nigeria”.

Mimi Mefo Info