National and international news roundup for March 31, 2020

There is shock and grief in Okoyong village in Mamfe, South West region following the killing of four boys. The victims MMI gathers were carrying out construction work in the area and had gone to look for food when they met soldiers. They would later be shot dead after attempting to escape due to fear.

The government of Cameroon has launched a 1 billion FCFA solidarity fund to combat Coronavirus virus. The information was made public Tuesday march 31st 2020, by the prime minister head of government as ordered by the President of the Republic of Cameroon. The funds are expected to be contributed by Cameroonians.

There is widespread criticism regarding the sum set aside by the government for the fight against coronavirus in Cameroon. President Paul Biya has created a special solidarity fund of 1 billion francs cfa to tackle coronavirus. To some critics it is a meagre sum too small to curb the spread of the pandemic.

The bodies of ten persons have been removed from a mortuary in Bamenda. They were killed by amba boys at the weekend between Oku and Bamenda in the North West region.The boys ambushed military vehicles along Oku/Bamenda road.

Medical officials are calling on Cameroonians not to rely on auto medication as a treatment for coronavirus. Citizens are also requested to follow strictly 13 preventive measures given given by government strictly.

Eighty two Cameroonians have been repatriated from Ivory Coast today. They have been taken to various hotels in Yaounde where they will be quarantined for forty days to ensure medical follow up.

After 14 days of quarantine, Cameroonians that came to the country on the 17th of March have been expressing frustration following government’s decision not to release them. Today March 31st marks 14 days since they arrived . Hotels that hosted these Cameroonians in Douala are demanding millions of francs from the government.

The Social Democratic Front, SDF boycotted work at the national vote counting commission. The commission after two days of work has handed a final report to the constitutional council. They did the final counting of votes of the legislative election rerun in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon.

Trade unions of transporters in Cameroon are threatening to embark on an indefinite strike action next week Monday if government does not give room for dialogue. In a letter addressed to the Prime minister yesterday, over 16 trade unions decry some measures taken against COVID 19 affecting their activity.

Cameroon has registered 16 new Coronavirus Cases as of Tuesday march 31st 2020. The ministry of public health in its daily COVID 19 press briefing said tens of persons have recovered from the virus and the number of deaths remains fixed at 6. The 16 new cases brings to 209, the number of confirmed COVID 19 cases in Cameroon. The transfer of victims to the Olembe social lodging has begun.

The ministry of public health in Cameroon says it has received a total of 2537 calls on the Coronavirus hotline thisTuesday march 31st 2020. The record breaking number of calls were from Cameroonians who wanted to get more information on the signs and symptoms of Coronavirus, and others who wished to have medical attention related to the virus. The information was released during a press briefing in Yaounde Tuesday evening.

Another Cameroonian has died of COVID 19 in France. 42-year-old Tjade Eone died in the early hours of Tuesday march 31st 2020 in Paris France according to family members. Tjade Eone is the fourth Cameroonian to die of COVID 19 in France since its outbreak. Tjade Eone is brother to one of Cameroon’s pop artist, commonly known as Michael Jackson.

There is panic in the Deido and Bonaberi Neighborhoods of Douala Cameroon, following the death of two persons, allegedly as a result of COVID 19.
According to local sources, the first case was that of a woman, recorded shortly before midday in the Deido Neighborhood in Douala subdivision, at a well known clinic name withheld. The lady according to neighbors, was owner of a restaurant in Deido Douala, where it is believed that quarantined ‘bush faller’ travellers from abroad used to sneak from their hotel rooms to eat at night.

Guinea is the latest African nation to declare a nightly curfew amid the coronavirus pandemic, in addition to its existing state of emergency. President Alpha Condé made the announcement on state radio and television on Monday, telling citizens they must stay at indoors from 21:00 local time (21:00 GMT).

Ethiopia is restoring the internet in western parts of the country in an effort to control the spread of coronavirus. Services have been blocked for the past three months following an outbreak of violence in western Oromia. In some areas phone services were also cut.

Kenya’s police chief has ordered an investigation into the death of a 13-year-old boy said to have been shot on Monday evening as police enforced a curfew. The child was playing on the balcony of his parent’s house in a slum in the capital, Nairobi, when police fired live bullets to disperse people, according to eyewitnesses.

A police officer and a security guard are appearing in court in South Africa accused of shooting and killing a 40-year-old man in front of his mother on the family’s veranda. It’s alleged the pair had accused the man beforehand of not following lockdown rules. They now face murder and police brutality charges.

A Sierra Leonean former minister has been charged with treason for walking into the president’s house with a gun ahead of a meeting on coronavirus preparedness. Ex-Defence Minister Paolo Conteh was charged with 16 counts of treason in a Freetown court on Monday.

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has called for calm after the country confirmed its first cases of coronavirus. Health Minister Lems Kwape said three travellers – two of them from Thailand and the third one from the UK – tested positive for the virus. President Masisi said his government had been preparing for the eventuality and had an action plan to keep people safe.

-Coronavirus: Nightly curfew announced in Guinea
-Kenyan boy shot dead as virus curfew enforced
-Internet restored in Ethiopian opposition hot spot
-Pair accused of ‘lockdown killing’ to appear in court

Guinea is the latest African nation to declare a nightly curfew amid the coronavirus pandemic, in addition to its existing state of emergency. President Alpha Condé made the announcement on state radio and television on Monday, telling citizens they must stay at indoors from 21:00 local time (21:00 GMT).

Ethiopia is restoring the internet in western parts of the country in an effort to control the spread of coronavirus. Services have been blocked for the past three months following an outbreak of violence in western Oromia. In some areas phone services were also cut.

Kenya’s police chief has ordered an investigation into the death of a 13-year-old boy said to have been shot on Monday evening as police enforced a curfew. The child was playing on the balcony of his parent’s house in a slum in the capital, Nairobi, when police fired live bullets to disperse people, according to eyewitnesses.

A police officer and a security guard are appearing in court in South Africa accused of shooting and killing a 40-year-old man in front of his mother on the family’s veranda. It’s alleged the pair had accused the man beforehand of not following lockdown rules. They now face murder and police brutality charges.

A Sierra Leonean former minister has been charged with treason for walking into the president’s house with a gun ahead of a meeting on coronavirus preparedness. Ex-Defence Minister Paolo Conteh was charged with 16 counts of treason in a Freetown court on Monday.

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has called for calm after the country confirmed its first cases of coronavirus. Health Minister Lems Kwape said three travellers – two of them from Thailand and the third one from the UK – tested positive for the virus. President Masisi said his government had been preparing for the eventuality and had an action plan to keep people safe.