Life

26, July 2016

Malawi: HIV-positive man arrested for having sex with children ⁰

An HIV-positive Malawian man, who says he is paid to have sex with children as part of initiation rites, has been arrested on the president’s orders. Eric Aniva, a sex worker known in Malawi as a “hyena”, was the subject of a BBC feature last week.

He told the BBC that he did not mention his HIV status to those who hire him. President Peter Mutharika said the police should investigate and charge him over the cases of defilement he had seemingly confessed to.

The BBC’s Ed Butler, who covered the story about Malawi’s sexual “cleansing practices”, says in some remote southern regions of the country it is traditional for girls to be made to have sex with a man after their first menstruation. Some of the girls are as young as 12 years old, he reported.

What is known as a “hyena” in Malawi culture is usually a man who has sex with widows or married women who cannot fall pregnant.

“While we must promote positive cultural values and positive socialisation of our children, the president says harmful cultural and traditional practices cannot be accepted in this country,” presidential spokesman Mgeme Kalilani said in a statement

Mr Aniva would “further be investigated for exposing the young girls to contracting HIV and further be charged accordingly”, he said. The president had also ordered all men and parents involved to be investigated, Mr Kalilani said.

“All people involved in this malpractice should be held accountable for subjecting their children and women to this despicable evil,” the statement said. “These horrific practices although done by a few also tarnish the image of the whole nation of Malawi internationally and bring shame to us all.”

Last year Malawi banned child marriage, raising the legal age of marriage from 15 to 18 – something activists hoped would put an end to early sexual initiations. Mr Aniva told the BBC that he planned to stop taking part in sexual cleansing practices.

BBC

25, July 2016

Cameroon: Son of CPDM billionaire expelled from ENAM for cheating during exams ⁶

The Disciplinary Board of the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) has expelled five students, including three Cameroonians and two foreigners (a Chadian and a CAR) for cheating during second year examinations. Abas Mohamadou Ousmanou, son of CPDM billionaire from Ngaoundere, Alhaji Abbo is among the excluded.

They were caught trying to access documents related to a core module from their mobile phones. ENAM examination laws prohibit the use of any material or electronic devices. In response to a request for an explanation that was served to the students by the disciplinary board of ENAM, the respondents argued that: “Having almost finished, we pulled out our phones to look at the time. It was at that point that the supervisor asked us to hand over the phones to him”.

The students pleaded guilty of violating ENAM examination rules and regulations. Abas Mohamadou Ousmanou and his gang of fraudsters received no pity from the disciplinary board.

Rita Akana (Cameroon Concord News Group)

23, July 2016

Koffi Olomide denies attacking dancer in a Facebook post ⁰

Koffi Olomide, one of Africa’s most popular singers, has been caught on camera purportedly kicking a woman at the main airport in Kenya. Police were seen intervening to stop the attack on the woman, identified by Kenyan media as one of his dancers.

The 60-year-old rumba star denied in a Facebook post that he attacked the dancer and said he respected women. In 2012, he was convicted in the Democratic Republic of Congo, his home country, of assaulting his producer.

The court gave the singer a three-month suspended prison sentence. The altercation with his producer, Diego Lubaki, was over a debt of about $3,700 (£2,800), the court heard.

BBC

22, July 2016

Cameroon: Minister of Women Empowerment and Family welcomes the Revised Penal Code ⁰

The Minister of Women Empowerment and the Family, Marie Therese Abena Ondoa has praised the Revised Penal Code, calling it a perfect representation on the integration of women. The Minister made the remark in a press release recently signed in Yaounde.

She noted that the portions of the code which punishes Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), sexual harassment, obstacles to educating the girl child, acts towards preventing the normal growth of body parts of a girl and the denial of visitation rights to separated parents, are worth lauding.

The Minister also expressed satisfaction with the section which demands the equal treatment of men and women in the case of adultery. In the press release, Minister Marie Therese Abena Ondoa implored all Cameroonians to respect the code, while encouraging the women to support it.

CRTV

18, July 2016

Cameroon in 2016: The Agbaw-Ebai Debate ⁰

Cameroon is ill, very sick

Mention one area that is in order

Military-Thieves

Police-Rotten

Roads-Death traps

Justice-So much injustice

Electricity-Epileptic

Housing-Not affordable

Civil Service-Evil servants

Tax System: Favors ruling CPDM barons

Hospitals: Mere consulting rooms

Security: Completely absent

Culture: Westernized

Politicians: Very greedy and self-centered

Religion: Hijacked by con men of god

Cameroon Concord News Group-Very worried

Cameroonian citizens: 10 percent sane and 90 per cent political comedians

18, July 2016

Buea: UB lecturers suspend strike action ¹

Students in the University of Buea (UB) have continued writing their Second Semester examinations scheduled from June 28-July 18, 2016. On Monday, 11 July, lecturers went on strike, with examinations reportedly overseen mainly by support staff. According to the Registrar, Prof. Roland Ndip, the examinations have been going on hitch-free. He added that the University Senate meets on 3 August during which results will be discussed and approved before being published online. This is so that students in any part of the country and abroad can easily access their results.

Asked about the strike action by lecturers of the university, the Registrar concerted with another school official and then refused to make any statement. However, Cameroon Tribune was able to speak to the First Vice President of the National Syndicate of Teachers of Higher Education (SYNES), Buea chapter, Dr. Ndeh Martin Sango. He confirmed that they actually declared a strike, but it had just been suspended.

“We decided to strike during exams because of unpaid bonuses. These are bonuses for the supervision of long essays, leave claims, re-sit exams, supervision of Master’s theses, and bonuses related to extra working hours. These bonuses date back to 2013 and all attempts to get the university to pay them have failed,” Dr. Ndeh Martin Sango explained. He continued; “We suspended the strike after pleas by students and parents as some of the students will be writing public competitive exams. We decided to suspend the strike so that these students should not suffer innocently. However, we will continue with the strike by withdrawing our services from re-sit exams. We will not start lectures in October if the bonuses are not paid,” he warned.

The union leader alleged that the University of Buea is going through serious administrative crisis, reason why the authorities were not open to dialogue. “We gave the administration a one-month notification before the strike. If the administration was proactive, they would have called the executive of SYNES for dialogue and probably, we would not have declared a strike. In the absence of dialogue, there is always an alternative and we saw strike action as an alternative,” Dr. Ndeh Martin Sango said. Meanwhile, the UB authorities have on several occasions declared their openness to constructive dialogue.

Cameroon Tribune

14, July 2016

Chantal Biya says she will return to Cameroon if General Ivo Yenwo, Martin Belinga Eboutou and Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh are sacked ¹³

First Lady, Chantal Biya has reportedly set certain conditions for her return to Cameroon. She has been absent from the country for three months now and all attempts by her husband, President Biya who has been incessantly flashing out signals for her to come to him, Cameroon Concord News has now gathered that the youthful first lady has tabled a number of requirements to her illustrious husband so she can return to Cameroon.

A source at the presidency of the republic hinted that Chantal Biya fervently believes it is urgent and beneficial to infuse new energy around the elderly statesman. We learnt she has even gone further by suggesting a list of those who have to be giving matching orders among them Martin Belinga Eboutou, Minister Director of the Civil Cabinet of the President of the Republic. The first lady also asked her husband to sack General Ivo Desancio, Director of presidential security and the current Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh.

Sama Ernest (Cameroon Concord News Group)

13, July 2016

Did President Museveni stop his motorcade to chat with a mistress? ⁰

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni voluntarily stopped his convoy for a phone call while returning from a trip to a remote village in western Uganda. His press secretary Don Wanyama, who published the photo on Facebook explained that his boss had stopped the procession to hold a 30 minutes conversation.

Many around the world are still wondering with whom the president had that conversation. Ugandan media suggested that the dictator spoke to the opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who has been charged for treason after criticizing Museveni’s re-election in February. However, Cameroon Concord News entertainment editor hinted Museveni was receiving a call from one of his many mistresses in Kampala.

Chi Prudence Asong (Cameroon Concord News Group)

6, July 2016

Sexually transmitted diseases notably on the rise in the UK ⁰

British Health officials are warning of a dramatic rise in the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) of syphilis and gonorrhea in the United Kingdom since 2012. New figures published in a report by Public Health England (PHE) on Tuesday revealed that between 2012 and 2015, cases of syphilis rose by 76 percent, from 3,001 to 5,288, while gonorrhea infections had a 53-percent jump from 26,880 to 41,193 cases.

The report said that the diseases are believed to be notably on the rise among homosexual men, with gonorrhea particularly undergoing a 21-percent increase among “gay and bisexual men.” “We need to do more to raise awareness about STIs and how they can be prevented,” said Gwenda Hughes, head of STI surveillance at PHE, adding that, “It is also vital to ensure there is easy access to STI testing and treatment services that meet the needs of local populations.”

Hughes recommended regular tests and screening for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and STIs, and the use of protective condoms in sex acts. “These statistics should set alarm bells ringing about the availability of sexual health services for young people and men who have sex with men,” she added.

Natika Halil, the chief executive of the Family Planning Association in Britain, also voiced concern over the alarming situation, saying, “We are concerned by the increased diagnoses rates of gonorrhea and syphilis, particularly among men who have sex with men, and also with the considerable variation between different areas.”

She pointed out to a strong link that exists between poor sexual health, one sign of which is the high rates of STI diagnoses, and higher levels of deprivation. “Local authorities need to pay close attention to what is happening in their area and invest in prevention services to help bring down this still very high number of STIs,” Halil added.

Syphilis and gonorrhea are bacterial infections that can cause heart problems, blindness, paralysis or even death, if left untreated.

Presstv

5, July 2016

University of Bamenda raised 150 million FCFA for infrastructural development ⁰

Efforts by the University of Bamenda to step up its infrastructural development were boosted on July 2, 2016, with the launch of the University of Bamenda Development Fund, UBaDEF. The ceremony in the university campus at Bambili saw the collection of 150 million FCFA from North West elite and friends of the university. The University of Bamenda thus becomes the second State-owned higher educational institution in Cameroon to run a development fund after the University of Buea some years ago.

It was indeed a great moment during which guests demonstrated generosity towards the university that is in dire need of classrooms, an ICT Centre, Main Library, student hostels, multi-purpose sports complex, health centre, etc. The Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Dominique Mvogo, brought a message from the Minister of Higher Education, Jacques Fame Ndongo, commending what he described as “a brilliant initiative to supplement State subventions.”

It was all cheers for the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Therese Nkuo Akenji, who conceived the idea to create UBaDEF. The Vice Chancellor revisited the birth of the University in 2010, stressing its mission of teaching, research and service to the community. Prof. Therese Nkuo Akenji urged guests to stand by the institution whose 16,000 student and staff population requires huge investments to function properly.

She saluted the government, North West elite, friends of the institution and traditional rulers for offering land to the nation’s youngest State university. The chief launcher, Alhadji Baba Ahmadou Danpullo and co-launchers set the tone, giving cheerfully. Meanwhile, an independent Management Committee for UBaDEF was commissioned with Tumban Manfred at the helm. It has as mission to source private and public funds to meet the infrastructural and academic needs of the university.

Cameroon Tribune