Politics

6, July 2016

FBI decision on Clinton: Trump says US political system totally rigged ⁰

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says the FBI’s decision to not recommend criminal charges against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state underlines once again that the US political system is “totally rigged.”

Trump made the comments at a rally on Tuesday in Raleigh, North Carolina, a potential battleground state. The New York billionaire described the FBI decision announced earlier on Tuesday as the “best evidence ever that we’ve seen that our system is totally rigged.”

“Everybody thought based on what was being said she was guilty. She was guilty. And it turned out that we’re not going to press charges. It’s really amazing,” Trump said as the crowd erupted in a chorus of boos. “We have a rigged system, folks,” he added. Trump also made accusations that Clinton is “a criminal with a guilty conscience” and “one of the most crooked politicians in history.”

On Tuesday, FBI Director James Comey said Clinton was “extremely careless” over her use of a private email server as secretary of state but did not recommend criminal charges against her. Comey’s announcement concluded an investigation that began a year ago when the inspector general for US intelligence agencies told the Justice Department that he had found classified information among a small sample of emails Clinton had sent and received.

The Justice Department, which administers the FBI, had sought to complete the investigation and make recommendations on whether charges should be filed before the Democratic and Republican Party conventions take place later this month. US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Friday that she would accept whatever recommendation she received from the FBI. The FBI’s recommendation to the Justice Department will have an enormous impact on the US presidential election.

Drawing on a report in The New York Times that Clinton “may decide” to keep on Lynch should she win the presidency in November, Trump accused Clinton of bribing Lynch. “If she wins, she’s going to consider extending the attorney general and you know what, I’m not saying, I’m not knocking the attorney general, what I’m saying is how can you say that? It’s a bribe,” Trump said. “The attorney general sitting there saying, if I get Hillary off the hook I’m going to have four more years or eight more years, but if she loses I’m out of a job, it’s a bribe. It’s a disgrace. It’s a disgrace.”

Presstv

3, July 2016

Obama accepts Ambassador Etoundi Essomba’s letter of accreditation ⁰

US President Obama has accepted the letter of accreditation from Ambassador Etoundi Essomba. The Minister Plenipotentiary officially took office on the 27^th of June 2016 as Cameroon ambassador to the USA after the traditional ceremony of presentation of credentials that held at the Oval Office of the White House.

Etoundi Essomba who served as Cameroon ambassador to Israel for two decades was appointed to US by a presidential decree on Monday, April 11, 2016. The Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Cameroon to the United States of America with residence in Washington DC now has the onerous task of uniting the US Cameroonian Diaspora and defend the interest of Cameroon. He replaced his kinsman, Charles Foe Atangana.

Chi Prudence Asong (Cameroon Concord News Group)

1, July 2016

Biya rejects new Penal Code ⁰

The controversial Penal Code recently acclaimed expeditiously in the National Assembly has been rejected by President Paul Biya. Cameroon Concord News learnt Biya has ordered a second reading of the document from those CPDM comedians passing for honorable members of parliament. The 83 years old leader has asked for a reformulation of the article concerning the immunities of cabinet ministers.

We understand Mr Biya wants the controversial Article 127 of the Penal Code which prescribes penalty of imprisonment from one to five years to magistrates or police officers entrenching on the immunity granted to members of government to be rewritten.

A group of Social Democratic Front MPs had raised an objection before the debate on the amendment and blocked the amendment of the Penal Code, citing non-compliance of the internal regulations of the National Assembly in its Article 64.3. Work was suspended on Thursday with opposition members of parliament insisting that the ruling CPDM MPs must respect parliamentary procedures.

Sama Ernest (Cameroon Concord News)

30, June 2016

Penal Code Palaver: No more immunity for cabinet ministers ⁰

The Constitutional Law Committee of the National Assembly met recently in the so called Glass Palace at Ngoa Ekellé Yaounde. The CPDM MPs examined changes to the bill on the Penal Code by the Senate. The members of the Commission led by Zondol Hersesse found themselves once again facing the all powerful Minister of State, Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso to review a text that the whole house had voted for in a plenary session held on 22 June.

This reconsideration of a bill is consistent with the provisions of Article 30 of the Constitution of Cameroon. What is this new examination of the text? An amendment was made to Article 127 of the draft law on the Penal Code at the plenary session which was adopted by the Senate. At the center of many debates, the article concerned in particular “the encroachments of the court on certain immunities.” Clearly, the text adopted and sent to the Senate indicated that any magistrate or police officer who, in violation of laws on immunity stops or prosecute a member of government or parliament shall be imprisoned for one to five years.

The new formulation of the text, according to Senator David Siegfried Etame Massoma, President of the Constitution Acts Commission of the Senate now reads: “is punished with imprisonment of one to five years, magistrate or police officer who continues, stop or judge anyone, in violation of laws on immunity.” Clearly, the CPDM crime syndicate has once again moved the goal post and members of government are no longer covered by this provision.

Senator Etame Massoma also pointed out that the amendment to this article was introduced by the government following the debate that had aroused from this provision in the Penal Code. Pursuant to section 3-B of Article 30 of the Constitution, the text which was discussed yesterday in the Committee of the National Assembly will be again be adopted by the entire chamber. After this exercise, the Speaker of the National Assembly will pass the final version of the text to the President of the Republic for promulgation. The political calendar promises to be very heavy on the side of those pro Biya comedians at the Ngoa Ekellé glass house. The end of the current session is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday 1 July 2016.

Sama Ernest with files from Cameroon Tribune

28, June 2016

Minister of Foreign Affairs tells parliament Biya is examining the issue of dual nationality ⁰

The National Assembly has adopted two more bills in the ongoing 2nd Ordinary Session. The first bill authorizes the President of the Republic to ratify the agreement between the Government of Cameroon and that of Italy on the reciprocal exemption from the obligation to holders of diplomatic or service passports to obtain short-term visas.

This agreement was signed in Yaounde on the 17^th of March 2016 and that governing undertakings for collective investments in transferable securities in Cameroon. Before the adoption of bills, the House Chamber debated on the bills with the bill on visas exemption between Cameroon and Italy attracting more questions from the Members of Parliament to the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella.

MPs raised issues such as the issuance of diplomatic passports to all members of the National Assembly, poor treatment of Cameroonians including those with diplomatic passports in some countries and dual nationality for Cameroonians abroad amongst others. Minister Mbella Mbella explained that the issuance of diplomatic passports is regulated by the Vienna Treaty on Diplomacy which does not provide for diplomatic passports for MPs.

While stating that the issue of dual nationality is being examined, the Minister also announced that plans are underway for other agreements to be negotiated with some other countries like China and Germany on visa exemption for short-term stay. The second bill defended by the Minister of Finance, Alamine Ousmane Mey clarified MPs on the functioning of the Douala Stock Exchange and measures such as the increase in the number and capacity of the Custom Administration to live up to expectation within the framework of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.

It emerged that the bill on regulating undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities in Cameroon seeks to establish a legal framework in pursuant to Section 4(2) of Law No. 99/15 of 22 December 1999 to establish and organize a financial market.

27, June 2016

Amid pressure from the US, Presidents Sassou Nguesso and Kabila hold talks ⁰

Denis Sassou Nguesso, Head of State of Congo – Brazzaville and Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo held secret talks today in Oyo, a town in the department of Cuvette in Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon Concord News has learned. The two dictators reportedly addressed issues related to political developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in view of the conduct of the presidential election scheduled for this year.

Both leaders are under immense political pressure from the United States of America. Denis Sassou Nguesso’s electoral victory is strongly opposed by the Congolese opposition including pressure from the US justice system which has convened Antoinette Sassou, wife of the Congolese president, on Monday in Washington to be heard in an open investigation for unpaid debts of around one billion euros.

President Joseph Kabila close associates have been targeted by US sanctions, the most recent case being that of General Célestin Kanyama, Commissioner General of Police, whose bank accounts have been frozen abroad. The senior official is also forbidden to travel outside the country.

Opponents of President Sassou Nguesso; Makaya Paulin and Jean Marie Michel Mokoko have all been imprisoned. While President Kabila’s former Governor, Moses Katumbi, has been sentenced to 36 months in prison in a land dispute.

Anang Valerian (Cameroon Concord News Group)

27, June 2016

Austria: Former Presidential candidate warns of an “Auxit” vote ⁰

Austria’s former presidential candidate Norbert Hofer has warned that his country could hold a British-like referendum on leaving the European Union within a year. The far-right leader of the Freedom Party (FPOe), who narrowly failed to become the head of state in last month’s presidential run-off in Austria, warned the EU to avoid any moves towards political “centralization.” “If a course is set within a year further towards centralization instead of taking (the EU’s) core values into account, then we must ask Austrians whether they want to be members,” he said.

Hofer made the threat after the British people voted on Thursday to leave the European Union. Hofer and his allies believe that the union should be based on economic rather than political cooperation. “The founding fathers (of the EU) wanted to ensure closer economic cooperation because states that cooperate economically do not wage war against each other,” Hofer said. “That worked very well until the political union was founded.” Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, however, ruled out the possibility of holding a referendum on EU membership, which is dubbed “Auxit” vote.

25, June 2016

Equatorial Guinea: President Obiang Nguema appoints relatives and two sons as cabinet ministers ⁰

Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema has signed a decree on Friday appointing a 30 members cabinet including several relatives and his two sons. After promoting his eldest son to the rank of Vice President of the Republic in charge of Defense and Security, the 73 years old dictator has now made Equatorial Guinea a family affair. Gabriel Obiang Lima Mbega was placed at the head of the strategic Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons.

Two new portfolios were created. The Department of Presidential Security headed by Antonio Mba Nguema Mikue previously defense minister and brother of President Obiang and the Department of Planning headed by Reginaldo Asue Mango, a new comer. Eight new ministers are entering the government for the first time which has three women. President Obiang Nguema came to power in 1979 by a coup and was re-elected last April 24 with 93.7% of votes.

Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai (Cameroon Concord News Group)

24, June 2016

Equatorial Guinea: Teodoro Nguema Obiang to succeed the father ⁰

The son of President Obiang Nguema, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue is now the second personality of Equatorial Guinea. He was appointed Vice-President on Wednesday by presidential decree signed by his father. Cameroon Concord News learned that the decision was read over Asango TV antennas on national television.

As the Vice President of the ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea, the son of Obiang Nguema is evidently the successor to his father. Political observers see him as the future head of state of the small oil rich Sub Saharan country of less than one million inhabitants.

The 49 years old Vice President is wanted in France over allegations of “ill gotten wealth” which he dubiously acquired from Equatorial Guinea as a businessman.

Chi Prudence Asong (Cameroon Concord News Group)

24, June 2016

Fighting corruption: Special Criminal Court jails CPDM mayor ⁰

A well fed CPDM mayor of Mombo in the Mungo Division in the Littoral region and two of his colleagues have been sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Special Criminal Court for embezzling the sum of 32 million FCFA from the municipality.

Mayor Jean Claude Djouokou of Mombo and his cashier, Gérard Njanpouop Mbomda must also repay the sum of 18 million FCFA back into the treasury.

Sama Ernest (Cameroon Concord News Group)