National and International News Roundup – January 13th 2020.

Suspected Ambazonian fighters have shot a soldier dead in Muyuka, in the restive South West region. “He was killed by Ambazonian while drinking in a bar. we cannot tell how it happen as we are still gathering information,” a security source told Mimi Mefo Info on basis of anonymity. One of the soldiers was injured. They were guarding the DO’s house in Muyuka.

The Minister of Territorial Administration has promised government’s crackdown against political parties and individuals who “dare to prevent” Cameroonians from fulfilling their civic responsibility on the 9th of February 2020, day of the municipal and legislative elections in the country. Paul Atanga Nji while opening the conference of governors Monday in Yaounde said boycotting the elections is a choice but preventing others from taking part is contrary to “republican values”.

“The people of the South west are already returning to their villages,” the governor of the South West Bernard Okalia Bilia has declared. Mr. Okalia told the press in Yaounde Monday that civilians have realised separatists are deceivers and have resolved to create vigilante groups against them. To Adolph Lele L’Afrique his counterpart of the North West, all is set in the region for a hitch free election.

The national president of human rights commission has said he doubts measures put in place by the government to curb abuses in Cameroon. Dr. Chemuta Divine Banda regrets that the rate human rights violation has been on the rise in Cameroon’s Anglophone and Far North region of Cameroon since 2016. He said these regions have been marked by separatist conflict, violence and terrorism respectively.

The Bamenda Residence of Mr Acha Kennedy, CPDM party candidate in the February municipal election in Batibo has been burnt. The house was reduced to ashes in a fire incident Sunday January 12, 2020. Though the cause remains unknown, locals suspect the act was carried out by Ambazonian fighters, as they intensify election boycott campaigns against the twin elections in the restive North West and South West regions of the country.

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, Ni John Fru Ndi has left Cameroon less than 30 days to the February 9, 2020 municipal and legislative elections. The polls have been boycotted by the CRM, CPP, PAP, UPC and MANIDEM opposition parties.  Before his departure, the Chairman accused some CPDM party elites in the conflict hit North West Region of targeting the SDF by sponsoring the burning of homes and kidnapping of SDF militants.

The Head of State media reports hint is in Mvomeka’a. Paul Biya left Yaoundé yesterday Sunday reports state for a private stay in his native village. This comes a few hours after receiving new year wishes from members of government, the Diplomatic Corps and beyond.

A three-day symposium on the public service in Cameroon started Monday in Yaounde. Organised by the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, meeting seeks to evaluate the public service in the country and its challenges. It is holding amid growing frustrations over discrimination during recruitment into the public service in Cameroon.

Kumbo residents in Cameroon’s North West region have described their day as restless after military is said to have raided several quarters in the area. It is not clear why government soldiers stormed the area but residents say one civilian was shot dead.

Medical results of some eleven class six pupils raped by their teacher in a Bonaberi, Douala primary school are still awaited. The school’s head teacher says the school administration has spent over 200.000FCFA (304euros) at the hospital for the kids’ medical bills. Parents are worried about sending their kids to the school complaining about their safety.

Several Cameroonians have raised concerns regarding the difficulties faced in acquiring passport. The crisis they told Mimi Mefo Info has persisted for several months now and only gets worst by the day. Some in the Diaspora say they have had to return home to hasten the process to no avail.

A commercial motor bike rider has been buried in a strictly Muslim tradition, in Yassa Douala after being knocked by a trailer, Sunday January 12, 2010. Reports say the vehicle was transporting construction material to the Japoma Sports Complex, when it knocked the rider. He died on the spot. In retaliation, angered commercial motor bike riders took the vehicle to a distant place and attempted to set it on fire before the police arrived the scene and intervened.

The president of the Confederation of African Football  (CAF) is holding close door meetings with officials in Cameroon. Ahmad Ahmad arrived Yaounde today to lay the ground work for the hosting of 2020 CHAN and AFCON 2021. A ceremony has been previewed for Wednesday this week to present the mascot and anthem of CHAN 2020 to the public.  “Tara” a mascot earlier presented was rejected.

France and nations from Africa’s Sahel region have agreed to step up military co-operation to fight the jihadist insurgency there. Forces will be placed under one umbrella and efforts focused on tackling the Islamic State group which has claimed many lives, they said after a summit in Pau, France on Monday. They also urged the US to maintain its support amid reports it might lessen its military presence in Africa.

Niger’s army chief Gen Ahmed Mohamed has been sacked, four days after militant Islamists killed 89 soldiers in an assault on a military base, inflicting the biggest loss on the military in a single day. Gen Mohamed’s dismissal, along with that of three other top officers, was announced by state radio following a meeting of the cabinet.

Russia says there’s been progress at talks in Moscow aimed at cementing a ceasefire in Libya. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Libya’s UN-backed government, led by Fayez al-Serraj, had signed an agreement. But renegade General Khalifa Haftar has asked for more time to consider the deal. It’s hoped he’ll sign it on Tuesday.

China’s foreign minister has accused Western powers of waging a “Cold War” against Zimbabwe, as he condemned the sanctions imposed on the economically embattled southern African state. Wang Yi held talks with President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, as he rounded up a five-nation tour of Africa, calling for the sanction to be lifted.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has responded after US President Donald Trump appeared to take credit for Mr Abiy’s Nobel Peace Prize. Mr Abiy said if Mr Trump wanted to complain he must go to the Nobel Committee in Oslo.

Mimi Mefo Info