National And International News Roundup – 8th January 2021

“We cannot reconstruct when the beneficiaries are not there”. A statement by Bernard Okalia Bilai, governor of the South West Region of Cameroon. He was speaking in Mamfe yesterday while handing over gifts to internally displaced persons and refugees. The statement of the governor contradicts that of Paul Tasong, chairman of the reconstruction committee. Mr. Tasong had earlier stated that the government will continue with the reconstruction project with the presence or absence of the victims.

One week to the start of the African Football Championship (CHAN), Douala, one of the host cities is not showing signs of such a great continental football event. Major streets are void of posters and flags of countries that will be participating in the competition.

Work for the construction of a new national assembly building stands at 40%. Robert Mbanga Achu, the project manager says they witnessed a five-month break due to COVID-19. Meantime, the old national assembly will be preserved.

Two policemen shot today at Matazem check Point at the border between the West and the North West regions are receiving treatment in Bafoussam in the West region. To Fonka Awah Augustine, armed men killed Governor of the West Region, a total of six people, military and civilians in the early hours of today Friday.

Veteran artist and owner of the “Radio des Artists” Louise Ndoumbe Romeo Dika today announced the firing of all the staff of the radio house. According to the former CPDM elite, his media house was under a witch-hunt by the National Communication Council and he thought it wise to lay off all the workers as he thinks it is not right for him having to contend with the NCC while paying a massive 26 man staff from his pockets. “Let them go and get paid by the NCC and the CPDM,” he stated

The upcoming CHAN competition is being looked at with utmost scrutiny as the Intermediate Lions have shown a lack of preparedness and zeal to dominate on home soil. This was shown in their lackluster performances in the mini pre-CHAN tournament which they recorded 2 defeats and a meager draw. The sports minister has warned that the ambitions for the home team will be to go for direct glory.

A gang of five involved in the manufacture of fake banknotes has been arrested in the city of Douala. At the time of their arrest by the security agents in the economic capital, they had allegedly defrauded several citizens of the city of their millions with fake banknotes. Legal proceedings against them are set to follow suit.

The population of Mozogo has been hit yet by another attack from the Boko Haram Terrorists, which left approximately 14 persons dead. It is the third time since the beginning of the year that the people of the Far North Region have been attacked by these terrorists. They are calling on the government to improve the security situation of the region.

A herd of elephants is reportedly sowing terror amongst the people of Goudoum village in the Far North Region. The more than 200 elephants are said to have camped in a grove between Gadamayo and Metchere district. A 13 years old child is also said to have been trampled upon to death by the big animals.

The former president of Mauritania has refused to answer questions from corruption investigators, saying an article in the constitution “grants him immunity”. Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz refused on Friday to sign the minutes of the interrogation and remained silent throughout the whole process which began on 6 January, local media said.

The US military says it has killed five al-Shabab fighters – including a senior commander – in an air strike in Somalia. It comes just days before the official withdrawal of American troops from the country. The target was reportedly a well-known al-Shabab leader – although his name has not been released. He was alleged to have facilitated finance, weapons, fighters and explosives in the south of Somalia.

With a week to go before the election, a military court in Uganda has charged 49 staff of presidential challenger Bobi Wine with being in illegal possession of four rounds of ammunition. The charges indicated that the ammunition belonged to an AK-47 rifle. Those arraigned in court include Bobi Wine’s top bodyguard Edward Ssebuwufu.

In a reciprocal measure, Mozambique has, since Thursday, been barring travellers from South Africa with a South African Covid-19 rapid test result from entering national territory. South African authorities have refused, since the beginning of the week, to allow Mozambican citizens with rapid tests to enter their country, demanding the allegedly more credible PCR tests carried out in laboratories.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, 24 prisoners who were accused of being behind the assassination of former President Laurent Kabila have been released after spending nearly two decades behind bars. Rights groups were extremely critical of the military trial that led to the convictions. Their release follows a pardon by President Felix Tshisekedi. There were scenes of celebration as the 24 men were released from prison in the capital, Kinshasa.

Security chiefs in Uganda have warned members of the public not to hang around polling stations to cause violence after voting. The country heads to the polls next week, following a campaign season that has been dominated by violence, loss of life, and arrests of the opposition and their supporters. At a joint security briefing, Police Chief Martin Ochola warned that anyone who causes trouble at polling stations, “will regret why they were born”.