National and International News Roundup: Wednesday 11th December 2019

The November session of parliament has ended in Yaoundé today, without discussions on the Special Status accorded the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. However, an extraordinary session of the National assembly has been convened for December 13th, 2019. Observers say it might be focused on the Special Status for the North West and South West regions.

Inhabitants of Bamessing and Mbaso villages in the Ngoketunja Division of the North West region of Cameroon are still in bushes following a military raid, that resulted in deadly clashes with Ambazonian fighters. Local sources say soldiers stormed Bamessing and Mbasoh at about 5 am Wednesday, December 11, 2019, in search of suspected separatist fighters, but opened fire on civilians, killing at least three (3) persons in the two villages. The gunshots sent inhabitants to the bushes to seek refuge.

Paul Eric Kingue says 90% of militants of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) Political Party are ‘Talibans’. These are people who according to him are intolerant to opinions contrary to their ideologies.  Speaking on Equinox Radio Wednesday, December 11, 2019, the former ally of the CRM party said, the CRM will rule Cameroon with an iron fist if it happens to take power. Paul Eric Kingue thinks people opposing CRM’s political ideology will be forced by the party to leave Cameroon.

The National President of the New Cameroon Patriotic Movement has disclosed his ambitions to be president of the Republic of Cameroon. Speaking in an interview in Douala, Paul Eric Kingue said in 5 years, he will be 59, and that is the ideal age to be president of the Republic of Cameroon. “My political career is ahead of me; you cannot ask me to bury myself into the CRM party. Senior brother Dzongang, whom I respect so much is right to have fused into the CRM party, his political career is behind him” he said.

There are speculations of what will be on the agenda of an extraordinary parliament convened for this Friday, December 13th, 2019. In two separate releases signed by the speaker of parliament and the president of the senate, an extraordinary parliamentary session has been convened.

Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril has condemned road contractors that take huge sums of money from the government yet construct poor roads in Cameroon.  The speaker of the national assembly in his closing speech to end the ordinary session condemned Cameroonians protesting against the government in the diaspora.

Workers of the aluminium production company in Cameroon (ALLUCAM) today went on strike in Edea, Sanaga Maritime Division of the Littoral Region of Cameroon. The workers, reports say, were protesting over months of unpaid salaries

Several complaints have been made by inhabitants of some parts of Fako Division in the South West Region of Cameroon of poor Internet connection. They have been experiencing this since the early hours of today causing them severe inconveniences.

A total of eight petitions have been deposited at the constitutional council following lists rejected by Elections Cameroon. A majority of the petitions have been deposited by Union des Population du Cameroon (UPC). In the meantime, the Cameroon National Reconciliation Party of Cabral Libii has equally laid a complaint.

According to Abraham Kome, “No transparent election can take place in Cameroon with the present electoral code” a statement by the president Cameroon national episcopal conference reads.  Abraham Kome decries the poor nature of the code. This comes when the CRM, CPP and PAP parties amongst other issues are boycotting next year’s elections because of the poor electoral code.

Problems of financing have been hampering the development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). This was pointed out today in the course of the 5th edition of the national day of Small and medium-sized enterprises.

Militants have killed at least 60 people in an attack on a military base close to Niger’s border with Mali. The news comes just after the government requested a three-month extension to a state of emergency, first declared two years ago.

Uganda’s Health Minister Sarah Opendi has urged people who used a batch of Life Guard condoms recalled last month for being faulty to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). “Those who used the condoms during the period from April to October should get tested for STDs,” Ms Opendi told the BBC.

Elaborate plans have been made to welcome home Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed after he formally received his Nobel Prize on Tuesday in Norway’s capital, Oslo, officials have told the BBC. Mr Abiy is the 100th winner of the Nobel Prize and the only Ethiopian to be awarded. Mr Abiy is expected to arrive on Thursday morning.

Mike Sonko, the governor of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, is to be released from custody after being detained for five days following his arrest on corruption-related charges. A court directed that he posts a $150,000 (£114,000) cash bail.

Nigeria’s First Lady Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has accused the president’s spokesperson of disloyalty and of working against the interest of the first family. Mrs Buhari said in a statement that Malam Garba Shehu was working with some people in the presidency to scrap the office of the first lady without the president’s knowledge. Mrs Buhari also accused her husband’s nephew and long-time confidant, Mamman Daura, of being part of the group working to undermine her.

The Bank of Uganda (BoU) has criticised a trend where people are writing political messages on banknotes and sharing them on social media, saying it was disrespectful and illegal. BoU Governor, Emmanuel Mutebile, said in a statement that defacing the banknotes risked destroying their security features and could lead to “the risk of loss of value” and shorten their life span.

(Foreign News Source: BBC Africa)

 Mimi Mefo Info