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18, August 2026

Samuel Eto’o, a champion’s answer to his critics ⁰

There are moments in the beautiful game when victory is more than a score line. There are moments when a trophy becomes a statement, a response to doubt and a vindication of those who dared to believe. Cameroon’s historic triumph at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is one such moment.

The Indomitable Lionesses’ 3–0 victory over Malawi on Sunday will be remembered as the day Cameroon finally conquered Africa in the women’s game. It was the country’s first-ever African women’s title—a landmark achievement that deserves celebration far beyond the football pitch. And at the centre of this remarkable story stands Samuel Eto’o.

The former captain of the Indomitable Lions has endured intense criticism during his tenure at the helm of Cameroonian football. His leadership has been questioned; his decisions attacked and prominent voices close to the political establishment like Mathias Eric Owona Nguini-the television and talk-show professor have openly called for his departure. For his detractors, the federation under Eto’o had become synonymous with disappointment and controversy. But football has a way of delivering its own verdict.

Cameroon’s qualification for this tournament was itself a story of redemption. The Lionesses initially failed to qualify, only to receive a second chance when the four highest-ranked losing teams were invited into the competition. Cameroon seized that opportunity with both hands. What followed was not merely survival—it was transformation.

Under the pressure of expectation and criticism, the Lionesses marched all the way to the final. There, against a Malawi side that had captured the imagination of the continent with its extraordinary fairytale run, Cameroon produced a commanding 3–0 performance to lift the trophy.

That victory belongs first and foremost to the players and coaching staff who made history on the pitch. But Eto’o, as the leader of the federation, deserves recognition for being at the helm when Cameroon finally reached this summit.

His critics may not suddenly disappear, nor should one trophy erase every legitimate debate about the administration of Cameroonian football. Leadership must always remain open to scrutiny. But criticism must also be balanced with acknowledgement when achievement arrives. And this achievement is enormous.

Samuel Eto’o does not need to answer his detractors with angry words, press conferences or political arguments. The Lionesses have provided the most powerful response possible: a trophy.

For decades, Cameroon has been a giant of African football, particularly in the men’s game. The Indomitable Lions have carried the nation’s colours to continental glory on multiple occasions. Now, for the first time, the women have written their own chapter in Cameroon’s football history. Eto’o can rightly celebrate this moment.

He inherited a football culture with enormous expectations and formidable challenges. Whatever the controversies surrounding his administration, guiding Cameroonian football to its first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations crown is a milestone that cannot be dismissed.

The Lionesses have shown that a second chance can become a historic opportunity. They have shown that setbacks do not have to define a team. And they have given their federation president something no critic can take away from him: a place in the story of Cameroon’s first African women’s championship.

Samuel Eto’o has heard the criticism. On Sunday, the Indomitable Lionesses answered it. And they answered it with gold.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

18, August 2026

Zambia’s Hichilema wins re-election with 60% of vote ⁰

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema won re-election with 60 percent of votes cast last week, the electoral commission announced Tuesday, after a race critics said was tightly managed by his government.

Thursday’s election in the copper-rich nation was largely peaceful but the run-up was tainted by opposition claims of intimidation, arrests, violence and irregularities.

The result was widely expected, with Hichilema — in power since 2021 — facing a crowded field of 13 challengers led by a former provincial minister, Brian Mundubile, making his first bid for the presidency.

Mundubile, 55, secured nearly 38 percent of the vote, Electoral Commission of Zambia chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said.

Five of the 226 constituencies had not been tallied, she said. However, “The outstanding results are not likely to materially influence the overall result of that election.”

In a statement after his victory was announced, 64-year-old Hichilema said: “We are truly humbled by the trust you have placed in our hands.”

He added: “To those citizens who preferred the ideas presented by our opponents, we hear you, and we will continue to work for you.”

Hundreds of his supporters wearing the red colours of his UPND party poured onto the streets of the capital Lusaka, singing and dancing in celebration and lighting firecrackers.

‘Militia activity’

On Monday, Mundubile alleged there had been irregularities in the counting, claiming — without providing evidence — that documents listing the results had been tampered with, which he said risked the “integrity” of the tally.

“There are also allegations that officials in Southern Province were pressured to modify figures, with some of the alleged communication said to have been made through local government structures,” he said in a video message posted on social media.

Hours earlier, his NRPUP party angrily rejected government claims that its members were involved in militia or insurgent activity.

This followed the government’s announcement late Sunday that police had arrested 11 people, including six opposition figures, in a raid against “militia activity”.

They were “in possession of high-grade military weapons, ammunition and other materials for use in armed insurrection,” it said.

The NRPUP said shots were fired in the raid, which took place at Mundubile’s home, and a parliamentarian was hit.

It “rejects with absolute disdain the spurious and entirely false claims made by the Zambian Government that the NRPUP, its leadership or its members have been involved in insurgency, militia activity or any related conduct whatsoever,” it said.

Suspension, ‘stolen ballots’

The electoral commission was criticised for suspending vote counting for around six hours on Friday following reports of violence against polling staff and the alleged theft of ballot papers.

The count resumed after it announced the “security threat” had been contained.

International observer missions, including the European Union, said the pause risked the credibility of the process as well as voter confidence.

They also warned at the weekend that restrictions on the opposition in the campaigning period may have contributed to an uneven contest.

Oxford Economics Africa said Monday events around the vote, including the arrests, had “raised serious questions about the integrity of the results”.

“Hopes of a calm and credible election in Zambia have been dashed,” the think-tank said, warning the country was “very tense”.

The vote was seen as a test of Hichilema’s first five years in office during which the economy has returned to growth.

While he touts debt restructuring and lower inflation as key achievements, critics say the gains have yet to translate into better living standards for ordinary people.

More than 70 percent of the 22 million population lives on less than $3 a day, according to the World Bank.

Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, has a long record of peaceful transfers of power through the ballot box, with every change of president since the return to multiparty politics in 1991 achieved through elections.

Source: AFP

18, August 2026

Cameroon celebrates as WAFCON winners return home ⁰

Thousands of Cameroonians gathered in Yaounde on Monday to celebrate the national football team after they won their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Cameroonian women were greeted by hundreds of supporters on the tarmac Monday upon their return from Morocco where they beat Malawi 3–0 in Sunday’s final to claim the 2026 WAFCON trophy.

The footballers were swept up in the sea of Cameroonian flags, jerseys and phones held high to film their arrival.

The electrifying atmosphere spilled on to the streets of the capital, where thousands of people lined up on the sidewalks to cheer the players as they passed.

“At the start of this competition, the girls were calm, and their mindset carried them to victory. They deserved it,” said Aline Mvogo, a 63-year-old housewife who was at the airport.

Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses claimed the title unexpectedly — they hadn’t even qualified for the tournament until a decision taken in November to expand it from 12 to 16 teams.

Although visibly tired, the players beamed at the elated crowds of supporters who sought to extend the celebrations that began the day before.

On Sunday evening, the festivities continued late into the night in several districts of Yaounde.

Music, car horns and Cameroonian flags resounded throughout the city and accompanied the outpourings of joy in the streets of the capital after the final whistle.

“At the beginning of the tournament, I wasn’t really following it. Little by little, I started to watch. I’m proud; I saw a strong and determined team,” said Florence Manga, a 26-year-old communications student.

The players paraded through the streets of the capital on Monday, proudly displaying their first Cup, amid the cheers of the thousands of people lining the roads.

Cameroonian President Paul Biya, 93, currently in Switzerland, congratulated the “valiant, talented and intrepid Indomitable Lionesses” in a post on Facebook late Sunday, hailing the trophy won at the end of a “well-executed performance”.

Source: AFP

17, August 2026

Unemployment, pessimism and rising interest in emigration mark Cameroon’s youth ⁰

Cameroon’s demographics make youth central to the country’s economic development. Citizens aged 18-35 constitute 57% of the country’s labour force (World Bank, 2025a). But the economy has struggled – and failed – to absorb the growing number of labour-market entrants, and many youth continue to face unemployment, underemployment, or vulnerable informal employment (World Bank, 2025a; Hyéfouais, 2019).

Despite employment and entrepreneurship initiatives implemented by the government and development partners (World Bank, 2025a), almost one in four young Cameroonians (23.2%) are not in education, employment, or training, according to 2021 estimates (World Bank, 2025b).

As Tangko (2020) notes, youth unemployment contributes to economic marginalisation and increases the risk of political instability as exclusion generates frustration, weakens confidence in institutions, and heightens social tensions. Cameroon’s “low” ranking in the 2023 Global Youth Development Index highlights persistent challenges for youth across a wide range of sectors, from education and employment to well-being and civic participation (Commonwealth, 2023).

Findings from the Afrobarometer Round 10 survey (2024) reinforce these concerns. While Cameroonian youth are more educated than older generations, they are also more likely to be unemployed. Young people identify inadequate training, skills mismatch, and a lack of experience as major barriers to employment. Job creation is their top priority for additional government spending to support young people, and unemployment ranks among the most important problems they want the government to address.

Young citizens see the government as largely failing to address their top concerns. Most see the country as heading in the wrong direction, and few express optimism about the near future.

Against this backdrop, a growing majority of young Cameroonians report considering emigration, primarily in search of better economic prospects.

Culled afrobarometer

17, August 2026

Iran vows to ‘decisively crush any threat, aggression’ as deal with US expires ⁰

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says it is prepared to deliver a crushing response to any threat or aggression as a war-termination deal between Iran and the United States expires with no breakthrough in sight for talks to permanently end hostilities.

The IRGC issued a statement on Monday, commemorating the 36th anniversary of the return of Iranian prisoners of war (POWs), who were held captive during the 1980s imposed war waged against the country by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

The IRGC said its forces at the current critical juncture are inspired by the self-sacrifice, resilience, and steadfastness of proud Iranian POWs while relying on Almighty God and following the directives of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

The IRGC, the statement added, “assures the honorable people of Iran that its forces, who are fully prepared and committed to employing all their capabilities, will work … in close coordination and synergy with the country’s other powerful armed forces to safeguard the Islamic Revolution and defend Iran’s territorial integrity, independence, dignity, and national interests.”

The elite military force also warned that its fighters “will decisively crush any threat or aggression with the utmost resolve, drawing on a strategy of maximum deterrence and powerful offensive operations.”

August 17 marks the day when Iranian POWs returned to their homeland after years of captivity in the notorious prisons of Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime, the IRGC said.

It further described the POWs as “living testimony to the legitimacy of Iran’s cause and the injustices it endured. They carry on the legacy of the martyrs, serve as enduring examples of patience and resilience, and embody the ideals of freedom and honor.”

17, August 2026

Women’s Africa Cup of Nations: enfin, we are champions ⁰

Cameroon, who failed to qualify for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations only to get a second chance, beat fairytale finalists Malawi 3-0 on Sunday to be crowned champions.

Marie Ngah scored twice and Naomi Eto once in the final in Rabat as the Indomitable Lionesses became queens of African football for the first time after finishing runners-up on three occasions.

Cameroon lost at home and away to Algeria in the final qualifying round, but the organisers later increased the number of teams for the tournament from 12 to 16.

The four highest ranked losers, led by Cameroon, were added for the two-yearly competition, which Morocco hosted for the third consecutive time.

It was a sad climax for Malawi, ranked 153rd in the world, who had reached the title decider with the Chawinga sisters, captain Tabitha and Temwa, scoring nine goals between them.

Among those who saw Cameroon succeed after losing the 2004, 2014 and 2016 finals to Nigeria without scoring was embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

He was flanked by Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe from South Africa and first vice-president Fouzi Lekjaa.

The CAF leadership have backed Infantino, who is fighting to save his job after a barrage of criticism for his aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

Debutants Malawi defied being the lowest ranked nation at the marquee African women’s football event to reach the final after beating defending champions Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana and Algeria.

The Scorchers started the final impressively, with the power and pace of the Chawingas creating several threatening situations.

But Malawi failed to score and, as the opening half progressed, so did the performance of Cameroon, who took a 20th-minute lead.

A cross was headed off Malawi goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo onto the crossbar and Ngah nodded the rebound into the net for her fourth goal of the tournament.

As they became increasingly adventurous, Cameroon doubled the lead on 29 minutes when Eto, with her back to goal, swivelled and struck the ball into the corner of the net.

Ngah netted again three minutes into added time at the end of the opening half, heading an Eto cross into the net.

After scoring twice in the opening half, Ngah should have completed a hat-trick early in the second period but, after taking the ball past Sikelo, fired wide.

Malawi contained Cameroon as the second period progressed and Temwa Chawinga was just wide with a low shot after a goalmouth scramble.

By reaching the semi-finals, Cameroon, Malawi, third-placed Algeria and Morocco qualified for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The number of African qualifiers could swell to six as losing WAFCON quarter-finalists South Africa and Ghana have secured places in inter-continental play-offs.

Source: AFP

16, August 2026

Biya regime raises financial bar for private Hajj Operators ahead of 2027 ⁰

Cameroon has tightened financial and operational requirements for private Hajj organizers ahead of the 2027 pilgrimage, with operators now required to provide a CFA10 million guarantee and demonstrate annual revenue of at least CFA100 million.

The new conditions are set out in an order signed on August 6, 2026, by Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji. They apply to agencies and private operators seeking approval to organize pilgrimages to Islam’s holy sites.

The biggest change concerns the financial guarantees required from operators. Applicants must now show annual revenue of at least CFA100 million and provide a CFA10 million financial guarantee issued by a bank approved by the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC), the regional regulator and supervisor of credit, microfinance and payment institutions in CEMAC.

The guarantee must be secured two months before the start of each Hajj season, according to the ministerial order.

The government wants the requirement to provide greater financial protection for commitments made by organizers to pilgrims and service providers. It also seeks to ensure that operators have sufficient resources to meet obligations related to accommodation, transportation, meals and other services for pilgrims.

Higher Costs Expected for the 2027 Hajj

The new framework also tightens requirements for operators’ experience and qualifications. Applicants must be Cameroonian nationals, speak Arabic or English and have a strong knowledge of Hajj rituals.

They must also have personally completed the pilgrimage “at least three times by the date the application is submitted,” according to the order. The requirement gives greater weight to operators with direct experience of both the religious rites and the logistical demands of transporting and accommodating pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

Agencies must also demonstrate adequate operational capacity. Applicants are required to have suitable premises, IT equipment and qualified permanent staff. They must provide preliminary contracts covering essential services, including accommodation, meals and transportation. Medical personnel must also accompany pilgrims during their stay.

The tighter rules come at a time when organizing the pilgrimage has become more demanding and expensive. On June 3, Cameroon’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Iya Tidjani, announced that the cost of the Hajj would increase in 2027. The rise is linked in part to higher service costs in Saudi Arabia and new requirements governing the pilgrimage.

The official cost for the 2026 Hajj was CFA3,262,620, unchanged from the previous year. The expected increase in 2027 will therefore come at a time when private operators will also need more financial resources to meet the new licensing requirements.

Source: Business in Cameroon

16, August 2026

Journalist held incommunicado for photo of Ambazonia unrest ⁰

The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Cameroonian authorities to release George Atabong Lekeaka, who has been held incommunicado since Monday for publishing a photo of security officers on patrol during clashes with separatist fighters.

“George Atabong Lekeaka should not have been arrested for attempting to provide the public with security information, let alone secretly detained without access to a lawyer or his family, in violation of his rights,” said Moussa Ngom, CPJ’s Francophone Africa representative. “Cameroonian authorities should immediately disclose Lekeaka’s whereabouts, release him, and refrain from targeting journalists for covering the Anglophone crisis.”

The Anglophone crisis began in 2016 with protests by lawyers and teachers over the appointment of French-speaking officials in the minority English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions, triggering a crackdown by the majority French-speaking government and a secessionist rebellion.

On August 10, Lekeaka published a photo of a soldier and a police officer on patrol in the southwestern city of Buea on the Facebook page All-About-Cameroon, to which he is a contributor, the page’s administrator told CPJ, on condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal.

“Serious gunfire exchange between the military and the ‘boyses’ at mile 18 Buea, please stay home and stay safe,” the post said, using a nickname for the separatists.

Hours later, Lekeaka was detained after identifying himself to soldiers who were searching the area near where the photo was taken, according to an August 12 habeas corpus, reviewed by CPJ, which was filed by his lawyer Emmanuel Aleambong Nkea in a bid to have the journalist produced in court.

The court document includes testimony of a witness who was taken to a military assembly point with Lekeaka after the journalist was detained.

“The arresting officers refused to inform me where they were taking the victim to and asked me to leave the scene immediately or risk being taken with the victim, and I obliged,” said the witness, who CPJ is not naming for security reasons.

On Friday, Nkea told CPJ he was unable to determine Lekeaka’s whereabouts visiting local gendarmerie and military headquarters.

Monday’s deadly violence in Buea erupted as separatists sought to enforce their weekly “ghost town” protest, when all activities in the Anglophone regions are meant to shut down, Xinhua news agency reported.

Reporting from Cameroon’s Anglophone regions is extremely dangerous, with journalists intimidated or serving lengthy prison sentences on charges including secession, insurrection, and false news. In 2019, Buea-based Samuel Wazizi died in government custody two weeks after his arrest in connection with his critical reporting on the conflict.

Three of the four journalists imprisoned in Cameroon as of CPJ’s December 1 prison census have been held for more than nine years for reporting on the Anglophone crisis. They have spent longer behind bars than any other journalists in sub-Saharan Africa, except those in Eritrea.

CPJ’s calls and text messages seeking comment from Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo, head of the Defense Ministry’s communications division; Bernard Okalia Bilai, governor of Southwest region; Engelbert Viang Mekala, Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, where Buea is located; and Martin Mbarga Nguélé, delegate general for national security, went unanswered.

Loa Hebga Agai, the regional delegate for national security, asked CPJ which unit had made the arrest but did not respond to subsequent messages.

15, August 2026

Yaounde-Bafoussam highway: 16 killed in bus crash ⁰

At least 16 people died early Friday in a crash on the Yaounde-Bafoussam highway in Cameroon, police and witnesses said.

The accident happened in Nomale in the Ndikinimeki subdivision of the Mbam-et-Inoubou division, Centre region.

A passenger bus slammed into a truck loaded with planks that was parked on the road. Among the victims were seven members of the same family who were traveling to a funeral, witnesses said.

State broadcaster CRTV reported that about 40 people were injured in the collision.

Local police said formal investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the crash.

Road accidents are common in Cameroon and are frequently blamed on poor road conditions and reckless driving. Data from the Cameroonian Ministry of Transport shows that about 1,500 people die each year in road accidents across the central African country.

Source: Xinhuanet

15, August 2026

Yaoundé: trial of 66 detainees from post-election crisis postponed ⁰

The military court in Yaoundé continued, on Thursday, August 13, the examination of two cases concerning 66 people arrested after the presidential election of October 25, 2025. Some have been detained for nearly ten months and are charged with spreading false information, rebellion, unlawful gathering, and lack of a national identity card.

The discussions mainly focused on the circumstances of their arrest and their possible participation in protests in the context of the post-election crisis. The election, officially won by Paul Biya, was followed by gatherings and arrests in several cities across the country.

Some defendants expressed their impatience after several months of provisional detention. According to lawyer Ndam, a member of the defense collective, many detainees fear spending nearly a year in prison before possibly being acquitted or released.

“They feel that everything is being done to drag out the proceedings and keep them in prison for no reason,” said the lawyer, as cited by the defense. He believes that the slow pace of the hearings is fueling the discouragement of the defendants and their families.

A procedure struggling to accelerate

The defense had obtained that the cases be divided into several groups to allow for examination by multiple judges. The cases are now listed about three times a month on the military court’s agenda, but this organization has not yet produced the expected acceleration, according to the lawyers.

Lawyer Ndam believes that a more sustained hearing rhythm, with the hearing of about twenty people per day, would have significantly reduced delays. Discussions were also complicated by the language barrier, even though all detainees present in court were eventually heard, a first according to the defense.

The hearing has been postponed to September 10. The public prosecutor will then present its requisitions, followed by the pleas of the defense lawyers. The military court will then have to rule on the criminal responsibility of the defendants, who are being prosecuted in two separate proceedings.

Culled from Beninwebtv