National And International News Roundup – 9th June 2020

Wazizi’s lawyers say they will fight to the end to see that justice is served. This comes after a habeas corpus filed for the late journalist was thrown out by the Fako High Court today. The Court said the case was not within its jurisdiction and was inadmissible.

Artist Kareyce Fotso has joined calls for justice for Wazizi. The singer took to social media to decry the pressman’s detention and later on death. The campaign for justice for Wazizi has been trending for over a week now as government is reluctant to act.

Some journalists took to the streets of Bamenda and Yaounde today in protest. Carrying placards, they called for government to launch a probe into Wazizi’s case. The recent move comes after SNJC and the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ in a joint release last week warned to take further action if government didn’t come clean on Wazizi’s disappearance.

Human Rights Watch and nine other prominent groups have called on the UN Security Council to demand a probe on Wazizi’s death. They made the call today asking that the inquiry should be independent, effective, thorough and impartial. The call comes ahead of the UN’s June 12 Security Council meeting.

The Mandela International Center says missing Angloohone journalist Njoka Kingsly has been discovered at the state defense secretariat in Yaounde with visible signs of torture. Speaking to Equinox Television in Douala, an official of the NGO described Kingsley’s arrest and transfer to Yaounde as abduction.

The June session of parliament opens tomorrow Wednesday 10th June. This will be the second ordinary session of parliament for this year. Some Cameroonians are expecting parliamentarians to raise the case of late journalist, Samuel Wazizi at the National Assembly.

Cameroon has diagnosed a total of 8681 COVID-19 cases as of June 9th 2020. According to the Ministry of public health, 1627 persons were tested under 24 hours this day, with 369 confirmed cases, 0 deaths and 42 recoveries recorded. The country now has a total 4836 recoveries and 208 deaths. Health experts argue that a massive test campaign will produce more positive cases than registered

The National Institute of statistics say 62.7% of Cameroonian households have witnessed a fall in living standards as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Following a study on the impact of COVID-19 on households, the National Institute of statistics realised that many Cameroonians especially women, have resorted to rely on the support of family and loved ones for survival.

After a 2 billion FCFA aid package to fight COVID-19, President Biya has made available 170,000 face masks for the same purpose. They will be handed to the Ministries of Basic, Secondary and Higher education and the Ministry of employment and professional training. Territorial administration Minister – Atanga Nji Paul is in charge of the consignment.

Hon. Adamou Koupit has condemned the process of declaring COVID+19 patients in Cameroon. The member of parliament of the Cameroon Democratic Union (CDU) has expressed concern that some corpses are declared COVID-19 positive when the patient’s family members were not informed that their relatives were suffering from coronavirus. He regrets that the action deprives some Cameroonians from giving relatives befitting burial.

Gaelle Enganamouit, Cameroon forward who plays for Spanish club, Málaga CF has hung her boots. The Indomitable Lioness made the announcement on her 28th birthday. Gaelle was named African Women’s Footballer of the Year 2015.

The town of Nkambe, noted to be one of the most calm in the Angloohone regions, witnessed tension today. Youths blocked the road in protest against the transfer of two arrested young men to Bamenda. The boys were arrested for supplying locally imported fuel from Nigeria locally called “funge” to people in areas in the Division. The protesting youths also demanded the departure of the gendarmarie company commander for Nkambe.

Cameroon’s local football championship is bereaved. James Ovidi, player of Tonnere Kalara club of Yaounde died today in Mfou. Report says he was playing local football, collapsed and died instantly.

The health authorities in Malawi’s northern city of Mzuzu say 158 people have received treatment for various injuries they suffered following a stampede that ensued when thousands of mostly young people reported for government job interviews. The health ministry announced that it was hiring hundreds of health workers to go to rural communities as health surveillance assistants (HSA). Applicants were told to attend walk-in interviews at various centres across the country.

Members of one of Nigeria’s main medical unions say they will go on strike from Monday following frustration over pay and a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). “Inhumane and hopeless” is how the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has described the situation for some medics in a strongly worded statement. They are calling on their members to stop providing all medical services including emergency care and coronavirus treatment.

A trade union representing teachers in South Africa says it feels vindicated after a number of schools were forced to close temporarily because staff members tested positive for coronavirus. Most of schools across South Africa opened their doors for grades 7 and 12 on Monday after months of lockdown. The Educators Union of South Africa, which represents more than 27,000 teachers across the country, has accused the education department in court of compromising the health and safety of teachers and pupils.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has said the death of Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza had “robbed” the East African region of a “prominent leader”. He added that Mr Nkurunziza will be “sorely missed”. His comments were broadcast on the Kenya State House Twitter account.

The Speaker of Burundi’s parliament Pascal Nyabenda is likely to take over as interim president following the death of President Pierre Nkurunziza, Reuters news agency reports. A Twitter account run by Burundians who opposed Mr Nkunzinza’s rule has said the same, sharing articles of the constitution showing how a presidential vacuum is managed. After 15 years in power, Mr Nkurunziza was due to step down in August. Evariste Ndayishimiye, his successor as leader of the ruling CNDD-FDD party, won last’s months presidential election.

Burundi has announced seven days of mourning following news of the death of President Pierre Nkurunziza aged 55. Mr Nkurunziza was due to step down from the presidency in August after 15 years in power. The government says he died after suffering a cardiac arrest after being admitted to a hospital on Saturday.

A statue of a Belgian colonial king, under whose reign millions of people were murdered in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been removed from the city of Antwerp following Black Lives Matter protests. Anti-racist demonstrators had defaced the monument of King Leopold II with paint on Monday. Campaigners in Belgium have long-called for monuments glorifying his memory to be removed.

(Foreign news: BBC)