National and International News Roundup: Thursday 30th January 2020

Cameroon’s opposition leader Professor Maurice Kamto of the MRC political party has today reiterated that a Federation is a sure way of ensuring a longlasting resolution of the Anglophone crisis. He clarified, however, that he was opposed to a Two-State Federation. Professor Kamto was speaking during an exclusive Live interview granted to Mimi Mefo Takambou, on Deutsche Welle Africa. Prof. Kamto among other things insisted that he won the 2018 presidential elections and justified his decision to boycott the upcoming municipal and legislative elections.

One teacher is feared dead and at least 13 others wounded following confrontations between teachers and Cameroon security forces, today at the esplanade of the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital, CHU.
The teachers gathered to pay homage to their fallen colleague, Boris Kevin Tchakonte killed at Lycee Nkolbisson in Yaounde on January 14, 2020, by a student.

A suspected drug dealer is under detention in Bangante in the West Region of Cameroon. A huge consignment of Indian hemp (marijuana) was also seized by security forces in Nde Division in the West region of Cameroon. The security forces seized the 14 bags of Indian hemp alongside a gun from the suspected drug dealer. The 41-year-old man says he is a hunter and a farmer.

Unemployed graduates of a midwifery school in Douala launched a protest against their former school for being responsible for their unemployment. The ex-students of Bonadale School of Midwifery say the school has not provided their diplomas years after graduation. To the director of the school, the partner institution, the University of Buea and the Ministry of Public is responsible for providing the diplomas and not the school.

Commercial motorcycles in Yaounde will henceforth carry badges that differentiate riders from one subdivision to another. This follows a decision taken by the Governor of the Centre Region, Paul Naseri Bea. The measure is to further instil sanity in the urban transport sector in the city.

The member of parliament aspirant for Lebialem Division, Nkemlemo Denis has stated that campaigns this year are not conventional.
Nkemlemo, the SDF candidate while in Yaounde confesses that he has not gone to Lebialem to carryout any campaign but he is in constant touch with the population and officials. He laments the rising insecurity in the division but says if voted to office, bringing about peace in the division will be his priority.

After attending a CPDM meeting in Bamenda yesterday, Donga Mantung I CPDM section president, Ngala Gerard has visited his native Nkambe in the North West region. The politician is expected to start his campaign rallies in the area in the days ahead. He was welcomed upon arrival in Nkambe by a thick crowd.

Former Senator David Wallang is said to have been kidnapped in the North West Region. The politician was reportedly taken in Bafut as he travelled to Wum, apparently to campaign on behalf of the CPDM party in the locality. Ahead of the February 9 elections, several other politicians have also been targeted by alleged Ambazonian fighters who have called for a boycott of the polls.

Two persons have been abducted in Nganha in the Vina Division, Adamawa region. The abducted persons, reports say, are members of the same family. The two, a father and his son were kidnapped during their evening prayer. No group or individual has since claimed responsibility for the action.

The honorary chairman of the Fako Chiefs Conference HRM Epupa Samuel Ekum has addressed the vote of no confidence passed against the President of the Limbe chiefs conference of traditional rulers. He called for patience adding that it was orchestrated by persons trying to hide their wrong deeds in the municipality. Yesterday Limbe chiefs in a letter noted that they had deposed Chief Ndiko Fonderson, their president and replaced him with the Vice President, Chief Sama Motulu.

Unidentified armed men stormed Kuk village in Fungom subdivision of Menchum Division in the North West region early today. Going through all the quarters of Ughong, Selly, Mtom and Kuk centre itself, a source says, they “broke into houses and seized money and property from locals at gunpoint”.

Wuhan-based Cameroonians have written a letter to President Paul Biya about the outbreak of the coronavirus. In the letter, they say they are abandoned in the face of the health emergency. Noting that Wuhan has been in quarantine since 23 January 2020, they say Cameroon authorities have since failed to give them any official response.

Naomi Campbell has criticised the Recording Academy, the organisation behind the Grammy Awards, for not putting afrobeat, a popular genre of music that has elements of West African musical styles, into its own separate category. The supermodel Naomi Campbell made the criticisms on an Instagram post after Nigerian afrobeat star Burna Boy failed to win at the weekend. While congratulating Beninese singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo who won ahead of Buma Boy, and praising her for “spreading light and opening minds through your music”, Ms Campbell insisted that the awards were unfair to afrobeat as it was included in the World Music category.

A suspected case of coronavirus in the Ivory Coast has tested negative, according to the country’s health authorities. A student who had travelled from Beijing to Abidjan over the weekend had shown flu-like symptoms, sparking fears the disease had spread to West Africa. In a statement, the Ivorian health ministry said that tests by research institutes in Ivory Coast and France had come back negative for the virus. The 34-year-old student was kept in quarantine whilst tests were carried out. According to the ministry she’s been treated for her symptoms and is recovering well. If the results had been positive, this would have been the first confirmed case in Africa.

French President Emmanuel Macron has accused his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan of breaking his promise to stay out of Libya. Mr Macron said Turkish warships accompanied by Syrian mercenaries had been spotted arriving in Libyan. Mr Erdogan has not responded to the allegations. Earlier this month, world leaders pledged not to interfere in Libya’s civil conflict and vowed to uphold a UN arms embargo.

(Foreign News Source – BBC Africa)