Politics

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)

17, June 2016

British pro-EU MP murdered ⁰

Campaigning for Britain’s EU referendum scheduled for next week has been suspended for a second day as the nation remains in shock from the murder of Jo Cox, a Member of Parliament (MP) who was pro-Europe. Cox, a 41-year-old former aid worker and pro-EU campaigner known for her advocacy on behalf of Syrian refugees, was killed on Thursday outside a library where she regularly met constituents in Birstall in northern England.

Cox, a Labour Party MP, had been repeatedly shot and stabbed, witnesses told local media. Following the attack, both sides in Britain’s June 23 EU referendum on staying or leaving the bloc said they were suspending their campaigns. British Prime Minister David Cameron also pulled out of a planned rally in Gibraltar, a British overseas territory located on the southern end of Spain in Mediterranean Sea.

The Stronger in Europe camp, which campaigns in favor of the UK’s continued membership of the EU, said it was “suspending all campaigning” for Thursday and Friday, while a spokesperson for the rival Vote Leave group, an organization that campaigns for Britain to leave the EU, said their “battle bus” was returning to headquarters.

Her attacker is reported to have shouted “put Britain first” at least twice. A 52-year-old man, named locally as Tommy Mair, has been arrested. According to British media, Mair, may have had extreme right-wing leanings. “Britain First” is the name of a far-right anti-immigration group. Police said an investigation was under way to determine the motive of the murder, the first killing of an MP since Ian Gow was killed by a car bomb planted by the Irish Republican Army in 1990.

Earlier on Thursday, dozens gathered outside the Parliament in a vigil to remember Cox, including Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was flanked by tearful party colleagues. “What’s happened is beyond appalling. We are here in silent memory of her loss,” said Corbyn. “She was a fearless campaigner, and a voice for the voiceless. We feel shaken,” said Fatima Ibrahim, 23, an activist with the Avaaz civic organisation.

Presstv

17, June 2016

Cameroon’s new Penal Code: Revelations from the June 2016 Plenary Session ⁰

Top among the numerous issues deliberated at the June 2016 Plenary session in the so called Upper and Lower houses of parliament were proposals made by the ruling CPDM crime syndicate on the Cameroon Penal Code. Cameroon’s 50 year old Penal Code has witnessed some modifications which includes

–Adultery remains a criminal act not only against women, but men inclusive.

–The eviction of a spouse from the matrimonial home by any person other than the spouse of the victim is now a crime.

–Indecent or illegal practices in any public or private enterprise will lead to complete disintegration, permanent or temporal closure of the enterprise.

–Renting fraud: Six months to three years imprisonment terms for recalcitrant tenants: (those refusing to pay their rents) will be charged with fines ranging from 100 to 300,000 FCFA.

–Unscrupulous tenants who before leaving the house, damage some equipment will be severely punished.

–Street begging prohibited.

– Illegal sale of drugs is now a crime.

The scrutiny exercise was supervised by the Minister of Justice and keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso, assisted by the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Amadou Ali. The Cameroon bar association has called for an immediate stop of the penal code review.

CRTV

17, June 2016

Senator Mafany Musonge,South West Yaounde CPDM gang told to respect Section Presidents ⁰

The unending internal wrangling, unhealthy rivalry, bitterness and hatred common of the ruling CPDM party was brought to the limelight at a ceremony to officially commission the newly appointed regional and divisional delegation leaders of the South West. While installing the so called Regional Head of the CPDM South West region in the person of Senator Peter Mafany Musonge, the Secretary General of the Central Committee, Jean Nkwete tasked Musonge to reunite the party and restore its credibility in the region.

Cameroon Intelligence Report understands the new CPDM curriculum seems to have rendered the all powerful Section Presidents redundant. However, Secretary Jean Nkwete sounded a note of caution to the newly installed regional and divisional heads not to relegate section presidents and become party bosses.

The CPDM Scribe noted that the party bosses would remain the section presidents. Jean Nkuete emphasized on party discipline for success in future political consultations. The Biya acolyte revealed that the primordial function of the divisional delegations was strictly coordination. CPDM mayors were told to work in close collaboration with the section presidents.

Cham Victor Bama (CIR)

17, June 2016

Congo Brazzaville: General Mokoko in police drag net ⁰

General Jean- Marie Michel Mokoko, one of the opposition candidates in the March 20, 2016 presidential election in Congo is languishing in police custody in the capital, Brazzaville since June 14, 2016, Reuters reported, citing an announcement from his party.

The former army chief of staff from 1987 to 1993 is being investigated on allegations shown in a video screened in 2007 indicating that he was discussing plans to oust President Denis Sassou Nguesso from power. He had been President Sassou Nguesso’s special adviser on security matters. Reuters reported yesterday that the government had not yet commented on the arrest and detention of General Mokoko in the Police cell.

However, events leading up to the arrest indicate government’s intention to have the judicial proceedings against him accelerated. RFI cited Justice Minister Pierre Mabiala of asking the State Counsel to hasten the proceedings. General Mokoko’s lawyer, Yvan Eric Ibouanga, RFI reported, also confirmed the arrest and detention. He however, did not want to further comment on a judicial file that is still at the preliminary investigation phase.

General Mokoko after the accusations of attempted coup d’Etat in 2007, left Congo and only returned early this year to contest in the race for the presidency. Since the March 2016 presidential election, he had been living under tight security surveillance.

15, June 2016

Justice Ayah says “3 hungry boys PAP” is a Kumba affair!!! ⁰

The National Chairman of the Popular Action Party, PAP, Lord Justice Ayah Paul Abine has described the Kumba faction of the defunct People’s Action party as miserable “3 hungry boys”. He also observed that actors involved in the SCNC liberation struggle were mainly interested in positions and have deliberately lose sight of their mission and vision.

Asked if PAP is now in two factions, the outspoken Supreme Court Judge said “We have change the name of PAP from People’s Action Party to Popular Action Party. If you are talking about PAP in a different context I don’t know about it.” Quizzed on when and why it was change, the Lord Justice noted “We hold meetings in private, in public and behind closed doors. We are not under any duty to explain to people where we held the meeting to take this or that decision. Otherwise you would soon ask me when and why we held the meeting to annul the so-called document that Kumba is brandishing”.

The man of law added that “in accordance with our constitution, the important thing the law requires is that when there is such a change we notify the government having such jurisdiction and we did that in March 1^st 2016”. Justice Ayah in a typical Fru Ndi-Biya style revealed that “I have a list of at least 22 political parties that have change their names since the advent of multi-party system and nobody has dare to ask or explain why the change of name . CNU became CPDM. We have no reason to change names. If there are any reason then there are entirely intern, not for public consumption. We decided that popular is better than people and within our context so it stays.”

Questioned on the alleged embezzlement of party funds by the so called “3 hungry boys” in Kumba, Ayah fired back saying, “I am not here to make a statement on account, when I would want to make a statement of account of PAP I will called a national meeting.” To him no political party in Cameroon today is as democratic as the Popular Action Party, PAP. He recounted how his business and savings collapsed because of PAP. “There is no member of PAP apart from those who contested the elections who have spent a million FCFA for the party,” Ayah wept.

He explained that the party doesn’t function like the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement which takes money from the state coffers without any legal process and rights. He smartly answered a teaser that being member of the Supreme Court doesn’t conflict with being a member of a political party”, against what the Kumba “3 hungry boys” had claimed. Reacting on the SCNC matter Hon Ayah observed that the movement has lost its sense of direction and was baseless in its fight for liberation.

He was defiant in his statement that there was no legal document on the Southern Cameroons and La Republique’s reunification. He noted that the wise men commission established sometime ago by President Paul Biya to fact find the documents binding Cameroon’s reunification had bear no fruits till date. To this it was eloquent testimony and proves of the undeniable fact that no re-unification ever took place between the two Cameroons.

Victor Bama Cham (CIR)