National and international news roundup – 9th April 2020

Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Dion Ngute has warned government ministers against any individual initiative as the country fights against COVID-19. In a communiqué signed by his Chief of Cabinet, Seraphine Magloire Fouda, says any action by government ministers must be submitted to the PM’s office for approval. Dion Ngute also indicated that all social or mainstream media outings of ministers must be done under strict editorial control by the Minister of Communication. This comes after a recent blunder of Nalova Lyonga of Secondary Education who backtracked after announcing school resumption.

There are 803 coronavirus cases in Cameroon, 61 recovered and 12 deaths. The statistics were given this evening by the Ministry of Public Health, Manaouda Malachie. The pandemic has affected six out of Cameroon’s ten regions: the Centre, Littoral, South West, West, South and the East Regions. An official of the ministry of public health reading the figures called for more respect for preventive measures. Cameroon is now the 3rd most affected country in sub-Saharan Africa according to World Health Organization report.

Prof Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement political party has fired back at the government of Cameroon after the ban on his COVID-19 Cameroon Survival initiative.  To him, the MRC idea is republican, inspired by the need to safe lives in the midst of a deadly pandemic. Maurice Kamto regrets that a similar initiative of his party in 2009 which favoured the purchase of blood for victims of Boko Haram atrocities met no resistance like the case today. He, however, called on Cameroonians to keep on donating. Almost FCFA 300 million have been donated by Cameroonians at home and abroad.

The team charged with massive testing of the population in Douala against COVID-19 has evacuated over 198,640 persons from 80,366 families visited.  According to the ministry of public health, some 2 313 persons will be tested after the consultations in Douala.  The ministry also says 22 new cases were recorded Wednesday, April 9th 2020, with 61 treated cases.

Christians have intensified prayers at home and some fasting ahead of the celebration of Easter this Sunday. With the rapid spread of coronavirus in Cameroon, Christians say they are enduring as part of the pains suffered by Jesus Christ the saviour of mankind. Tomorrow is Good Friday, the day believers of Christ say Jesus was crucified.

“Easter will be celebrated in strict respect of coronavirus preventive measures” A declaration by the archbishop of the metropolitan diocese of Yaounde today. His Lordship Jean Mbarga stated in a press conference today. He said several masses of less than 50 people will be celebrated on Easter Sunday.

The Social Democratic Front (SDF) has suggested the putting in place of a COVID-19 task force to pilot the fight against the pandemic. This was during a meeting between leaders of political parties represented at the National Assembly and the Prime Minister of Cameroon.

The Director of the Kumba District hospital has demanded runaway staff to return or face bitter sanctions. Dr Enongene says most workers of the hospital escaped at the peak of the Anglophone crisis, and have not return till date. Dr Enongene says the Kumba District hospital now operates only with 4 medical staff, from 18 that existed before the start of the Anglophone crisis.  The medical officer also revealed that majority of the staff members ran away on February 10th 2019, when the hospital was attacked and burnt by yet to be identified individuals.

Seven persons have been dug out from the shambles of collapsed four storeys building in Cameroon’s political capital- Yaounde. The collapsed building killed four persons instantly and left at least 10 others severally wounded. The incident took place at montée Chapelle Obili neighborhood of the city.

“A commission for the investigation of material and human damages caused in Ngarbuh in Donga Mantung has long forwarded its report to hierarchy”. This was reported by the SDO of Donga Mantung Division. To Simon Nkwenti Ndoh, authorities reserve the right to make public the content of the report. Victims of Ngarbuh massacre have decried injustice as the government has forgotten about the incident that caused the death of over twenty people.

Religious leaders have been advised to intensify evangelization on social and traditional media while respecting coronavirus preventive measures. These religious leaders met with the PM, Dion Ngute ahead of religious feasts of both Christians and Muslims in the days and weeks ahead.

Inhabitants of Obili in Yaounde say a storey building that collapsed this morning was constructed in total disrespect of construction norms. Officials have equally stated that the owner didn’t obtain authorisation before the construction. One girl has been confirmed dead while several others sustained severe injuries in the incident.

The Zambian government has revoked a licence for one of the country’s most popular TV stations – Prime Television. The reason for revoking the licence wasn’t given but it came after the channel refused to air free coronavirus-awareness ads. The decision was announced by the Independent Broadcasting Authority Director-General Josephine Mapoma

The lawyer for the founder of the Tanzanian whistleblowing website Jamii Forums has said his client, Maxence Mello, will challenge a court judgement against him. On Wednesday a magistrate’s court in Dar es Salaam found Mr Mello guilty of obstructing police investigations in a case that spanned four years. Subsequently, the court sentenced the Jamii Forums founder to one year in jail or payment of a fine of three million Tanzanian shillings ($1,300; £1,000).

South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the current head of the African Union (AU), has defended the World Health Organization (WHO) following President Trump’s criticism of the WHO’s handling of coronavirus.

In a statement released on Wednesday night, President Ramaphosa reaffirmed the AU’s support for the WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and called for international co-operation in fighting the virus.

Chad says it has killed 1,000 jihadists in an operation in the Lake Chad area against the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. Army spokesman Col Azem Agouna said 52 Chadian soldiers were killed during the six-day battle, known as Bohoma’s Anger. President Idriss Deby has visited Lake Chad. He said not a single Boko Haram fighter remains on the islands where the jihadists had their hideouts.

Rwanda’s courts have started to conduct trials through video link-up in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. In a room at Kigali metropolitan police station suspects sat separated, in masks and handcuffed. Everyone waited their turn in front of a TV screen to face the prosecution and judges, who were in different rooms across the capital.

Scores of African students and businessmen remain on the streets of China’s southern city of Guangzhou for a second night following the mass eviction of African nationals from hotels and apartment blocks. Online rumours that the coronavirus was spreading among the thousands of Africans in the city led to door-to-door testing, evictions and accusations of forced quarantine.

Four officials in the Ugandan prime minister’s office have been arrested for alleged corruption over the purchasing of food aid to be distributed during the coronavirus lockdown. The officials include the permanent secretary – the most senior technocrat in the office.