4, August 2025

Biya regime calls on foreign allies to secure its embassies ahead of election ⁰

On July 31, Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, addressed foreign diplomats in Yaoundé, briefing them on the upcoming October 12 presidential election and reminding them of the international obligation to protect diplomatic premises.

Mbella Mbella stated that because Cameroon is committed to international conventions governing relations with its partners, it expects the strict application of protection measures for diplomatic and consular personnel and buildings. He added, “I know I can count on you in this regard.”

The government is concerned that the presidential election could serve as a pretext for Cameroonians abroad to protest at their embassies. In the past, Cameroonians opposed to the government vandalized the embassy in Paris, spray-painted the one in Germany, assaulted the Cameroonian ambassador in Belgium, and attacked a ministerial delegation in Brussels. These incidents have angered officials in Yaoundé, who often respond by summoning the ambassadors of the countries where the incidents occurred.

Despite this history, Mbella Mbella thanked the ambassadors for the welcome and hospitality extended to Cameroonian nationals in their respective countries.

He underscored the importance of a peaceful election for Cameroon, given its strategic position in the Gulf of Guinea. He called on partner countries and international bodies such as the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the OIC, the Francophonie, and the Commonwealth to support the country during the election.

Source: Sbbc

4, August 2025

Catholic priest swept away in a river in Mamfe found dead ⁰

The Catholic Diocese of Mamfe in Cameroon has confirmed the death of. Fr. Carol Tchinda Nguito, Parish Priest of St. Mathias Quasi Parish in Tabongkwa, who was swept away by a raging riveron his way from mission.

“It is with a heart full of sorrow that on behalf of Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius Abangalo Fondong, the Bishop of Mamfe, I make this announcement to you that he has been found dead,” Fr. Julius Agbortoko, Acting Vicar General of the Cameroonian Diocese, says in a statement issued Saturday, August 2.

Fr. Carol had gone missing on July 31 while crossing a river during a pastoral trek. His disappearance prompted a coordinated search and rescue mission, supported by Clergy, family members, and the PArishioners of St. Mathias Quasi Parish.

In the statement, Fr. Agbortoko expresses appreciation “for [the] ceaseless prayers and support during the period of the search and rescue mission.”

He also extends gratitude to the Priests, family members, and Christian community of Tabongkwa “for their endless courage.”

A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Sunday, August 3, at 9:00 a.m. in St. Joseph Cathedral, Mamfe.

“Let us commend the soul of our Priest, Rev. Fr. Carol Tchinda Nguito, to the Lord, that He may grant him a share of eternal life in His bosom,” the Acting Vicar General says and implores, “May Mary, Mother of Priests and Help of Christians, intercede for him.”

St. Matthias Quasi Parish, Tabongkwa-Mbetta which is under the pastoral care of Fr. Carol serves rural communities in Cameroon’s South-West region which have been ravaged by violence for close to a decade.

Cameroon’s English-speaking North-West and South-West regions plunged into conflict in 2016 after a protest by lawyers and teachers turned violent. An armed movement of separatists claiming independence for the so-called republic of Ambazonia emerged following the government’s crackdown on protesters.

Source: aciafrica

4, August 2025

Bishop Paul Lontsié-Keuné says weak politics affects national stability ⁰

A Catholic bishop in Cameroon has warned against the absence of political alternation, saying that it can only breed conflict.

Bishop Paul Lontsié-Keuné of Bafoussam was addressing Christians on July 30 in what he called a “special message” ahead of presidential election in Cameroon scheduled to take place October 12.

“Injustice can never bring peace. Electoral fraud can never bring peace. Lawlessness can never bring peace. Fear can never bring peace. The absence of political alternation prepares the ground for future conflict, not peace,” the bishop said.

It was an apparent swipe at President Paul Biya who is seeking an 8th term of office. The Cameroonian leader is now 92 years old, but 43 of those years have been as president.

“Political alternation in a democracy is a great good for a nation, for it allows for a peaceful renewal of power, prevents power from being monopolized by a single group, strengthens the legitimacy of institutions, fosters accountability among leaders, and gives citizens the sense of being truly sovereign,” said Lontsié-Keuné.

Since the introduction of multi-party politics in Cameroon in 1990, Cameroon has had five presidential elections, all of which had ended with accusations of massive fraud. In all of them, Biya was always declared winner.

The bishop’s message comes amid rising tensions after Biya’s main political rival, Prof. Maurice Kamto was barred by the elections management body ELECAM from participating in the October polls.

ELECAM rejected Kamto’s application on grounds that the MANIDEM party under which he was running had submitted multiple candidacy files – a decision widely seen by critics as politically motivated.

Lontsié-Keuné questioned the transparency of the process, suggesting it may have been manipulated to bar the president’s most formidable political foe.

Kamto has however appealed his case to the Constitutional Council-the court that that hears matters concerning electoral disputes in Cameroon.

The Bafoussam bishop has urged members of the Constitutional Council to act in truth and with their conscience to “uphold the law, and only the law” and “to deliver justice, and only justice.”

He explained that upholding the law means being “free from all political, administrative, or partisan influence, and in faithfulness to the oath they have sworn so that the people may genuinely feel that justice has been done.”

The decision to bar Kamto in the first place has attracted criticism from Human Rights Watch. In a July 29 release, the human rights advocacy organization said the decision to bar Kamto from the October 12 polls “raises concerns about the credibility of the electoral process.”

“The election commission has raised doubt on an election before the votes are even cast,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“Excluding the most popular opponent from the electoral process will leave a shadow over whatever results are eventually announced,” she said.

Lontsié-Keuné fears that the “toxic political climate” resulting from the process could only breed conflict.

In his July 30 message, the bishop denounced an environment marked by “lies, manipulation, intimidation, fear, denial of rights, injustice, corruption, vote buying, the instrumentalization of law, and its flexible interpretation for political ends.”

However, concerns about the electoral process itself are emerging. Lontsié-Keune questioned whether postponing local elections from February 2025 to 2026 was a mere administrative adjustment or a deliberate strategic maneuver.

The postponement followed opposition leader Prof. Maurice Kamto’s call for a boycott of the polls, originally scheduled for February 2025.

Subsequently, the government introduced a clause into the electoral code stipulating that any political party must hold at least one seat on a local council or have representation in parliament to field a presidential candidate.

The effect of this new clause was immediate and specific: It disqualified Kamto’s Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) from presenting a candidate in the 2025 Presidential election. Consequently, Kamto was forced to seek the presidency under the banner of a different political party, MANIDEM

The bishop also cast doubt on the legitimacy of Elections Cameroon (Elecam) and the Constitutional Council, highlighting their nearly systematic rejection of appeals and complaints.

Lontsié-Keune demanded to know whether such dismissals truly aligned with the Electoral Code’s provisions.

Furthermore, he condemned repeated attacks on public freedoms.

“We have observed systematic restrictions on the freedoms granted to citizens and political parties, alongside a shrinking public space,” the bishop stated. “These actions — accompanied by threats, intimidation, and bans — do they signal democratic anxiety or a deliberate desire to silence the population?”

Warning of rising tribalism and hate speech, particularly on social media, Lontsié-Keune emphasized that this trend dangerously deepens social fractures and reinforces a “divide and rule” dynamic.

Biya appears poised to secure another term in Cameroon’s October polls, facing a fragmented opposition that has been weakened by the absence of his strongest rival.

However, such an outcome would likely displease Cameroon’s Catholic bishops, who outlined specific leadership qualities for the nation’s next president in a March Pastoral Letter.

The bishops emphasized that the new leader must embody “integrity, humility, modesty, and moral leadership,” serving as a compass for governance. Crucially, they insisted the president must shun personal enrichment and commit to visiting every region of the country at least once during their term.

By these standards, Biya falls significantly short. Under his 43 year rule, Cameroon earned the dubious distinction of being twice named the world’s most corrupt nation — directly contradicting the call for integrity.

Furthermore, despite his decades in power, he has yet to visit all regions of the country, failing to meet the bishops’ explicit travel requirement. His leadership has also been criticized for entrenching tribalism, further undermining the moral leadership qualities the bishops deem essential.

Source: Crux

1, August 2025

Battle for Etoudi: Travel ban on Issa Tchiroma sparks fierce storm ⁰

On 31 July 2025, Cameroonian presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary was barred from flying to Senegal at Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport.

Tchiroma, who leads the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC) party, was accompanied by his daughter. The pair intended to visit the grave of former president Ahmadou Ahidjo in Dakar.

Eyewitnesses and local media report that airport officials told Tchiroma he could not travel, citing undisclosed “orders from above”.

Notably, officials provided no written documentation, warrant, or legal justification for the travel ban.

As of 1 August, the Cameroonian government has remained silent, intensifying speculation that the decision was politically motivated.

POLITICAL CONTEXT DEEPENS PUBLIC SUSPICION

Tchiroma’s sudden travel restriction comes amid his active campaign for Cameroon’s 12 October 2025 presidential election.

In June 2025, he resigned from his government post, publicly criticising President Paul Biya’s administration as “broken” and “paralysed”.

Since launching his presidential bid, Tchiroma has called for structural reforms, promising to dismantle the current regime and restore constitutional order.

His push for an opposition coalition has gained momentum in recent weeks.

The Issa Tchiroma travel ban’s timing, coinciding with the intensifying coalition-building efforts, has fuelled fears of electoral manipulation.

LEGAL UNCERTAINTY FUELS PUBLIC OUTRAGE

Legal experts and civil society organisations are raising serious constitutional concerns. Cameroon’s laws guarantee citizens the freedom of movement, yet Tchiroma’s ban was issued verbally, without a court order or legal precedent.

Legal scholars and human rights observers argue that the travel restriction on Issa Tchiroma may violate Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which guarantees individuals the right to leave any country, including their own, and to return.

Article 13(2) of the UDHR states, “Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.”

Cameroon is a signatory to the UDHR and has incorporated many of its provisions into national legal frameworks.

Meanwhile, public reaction has been swift, with widespread condemnation from civil society and activists accusing the government of suppressing dissent.

OPPOSITION LEADERS CONDEMN THE MOVE

Opposition figures, including members of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) and the Social Democratic Front (SDF), have strongly condemned the travel ban.

They describe it as a direct attack on democracy, warning it could undermine the legitimacy of the upcoming vote.

Sources close to Issa Tchiroma Bakary have acknowledged the challenges posed by the travel ban but stressed their commitment to continuing political activities and dialogue ahead of the election.

A TURNING POINT IN CAMEROON’S 2025 ELECTION

Society accuses President Paul Biya of political repression, aiming to limit fair competition. Human rights groups have consistently condemned the government’s actions, including arbitrary arrests and crackdowns on protests.

As of August 2025, the African Union (AU) has not made a formal statement, but legal experts and monitoring groups remain vigilant.

Barrister Agbor Balla, a leading Cameroonian human rights lawyer and constitutional expert, has urged the government to respect constitutional rights.

He warns that travel bans without due process violate both national laws and international human rights standards.

This incident adds to political tensions, especially after the electoral commission barred opposition leader Maurice Kamto, increasing concerns over the fairness of the upcoming election.

WILL CAMEROON PROTECT ELECTORAL INTEGRITY OR CONTINUE THE CRACKDOWN?

Culled from The South African

1, August 2025

Football: prosecutors seek rape trial for PSG football star Achraf Hakimi ⁰

French prosecutors on Friday called for Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi to face trial for the alleged rape of a woman in 2023 which the Paris Saint-Germain player denies.

The Nanterre prosecutor’s office told AFP that they had requested that the investigating judge refer the rape charge to a criminal court.

“It is now up to the investigating magistrate to make a decision within the framework of his order,” the prosecutor’s office told AFP in a statement.

Hakimi, 26, played a major role in PSG’s run to their first Champions League title, the full-back scoring the opener in the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the final in May.

Hakimi, who helped Morocco to their historic charge to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, was charged in March, 2023 with raping a 24-year-old woman.

Hakimi allegedly paid for his accuser to travel to his home on February 25, 2023, in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday.

PSG, Morocco football star Hakimi placed under formal investigation over rape allegations

He denies the accusations.

In Qatar, Hakimi was a cornerstone of the Morocco team that became the first African or Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.

Source: AFP

1, August 2025

Biometrics to replace stamps at EU border from 12 October ⁰

Stamps in people’s passports will be replaced by biometric checks for people travelling in and out of the EU from 12 October, officials have confirmed.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace the current paper checks and will mean passengers from the UK will need to have their fingerprints and faces scanned to cross an EU border.

The scheme will be rolled out across member nations over six months, meaning it will not be fully implemented until 10 April 2026.

It was due to come into effect last November but has been beset by technological delays.

Under the new system, non-EU citizens, including people from the UK, will need to register their biometric data along with their passport details to enter an EU country.

Anyone who refuses to provide the biometric data will be denied entry into the EU.

Currently, travellers have to present their passport to a border official to be checked and stamped.

The data will be collected at the point of departure – either at an airport, port or train station – where there will be dedicated booths for scanning fingerprints and taking a photo.

This record will then be valid for three years and means on later trips border officers will only need to verify a person’s biometrics, which the EU hopes will take less time. People with ePassports will also be able to use e-gates.

There is no cost for EES registration.

For most tourists, digital records will only be held for three years and a day – but for those who overstay the 90-day limit without a visa will have their data held for five years.

The system aims to tighten border security but has raised concerns of long queues. The UK government has warned travellers to “be prepared to wait during busy times” when the scheme begins, as the checks will take several minutes to complete.

However, the EU has said that, once implemented, the EES will shorten waits at the border by enabling faster checks and allowing passengers to provide their information in advance.

Since the UK left the EU, airports at many popular European holiday destinations have seen long queues of British travellers as their passports have required checking and stamping.

There have also been long queues at the Eurotunnel, and the new system sparked concerns that waiting times for people travelling to and from France by car would only be exacerbated by the new system.

Passengers will be given hand-held devices to register in their cars, while French border checks have been implemented on British soil at the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel’s Folkestone end and Eurostar’s St Pancras terminal.

In May, the UK and EU struck a deal which allowed for UK nationals to use EU e-gates – but only after the EES is introduced.

“Once the EES is in place, UK nationals will therefore be able to use e-gates where they are available, provided they are registered in the system,” an EU Commission spokesperson told the BBC at the time.

Some European countries, including Germany and Bulgaria, already allow e-gate access for UK citizens.

Source: BBC

1, August 2025

Race for Etoudi: Akere, Tchiroma, Kah Walla protest Maurice Kamto’s disqualification ⁰

Maurice Kamto’s exclusion from the October 2025 presidential race has intensified tensions within Cameroon’s political landscape. Elecam’s rejection of his candidacy has not only surprised the public but also galvanized opposition voices, with figures like Akere Muna, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, and Hermine Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya calling for an independent review by the Constitutional Council.

The list of validated candidates, published on July 26, excluded Kamto on the grounds that his party, Manidem, submitted multiple nominations—a claim widely challenged. His supporters and even some rivals argue that the rejection lacks legal consistency and appears politically motivated.

Among those defending Kamto’s right to run, Front of Cameroonian Democrats (FDC) candidate Samuel Hiram Iyodi spoke out strongly:
“I hope it will be retained (by the Constitutional Council). I think that Professor Maurice Kamto has been a major player in Cameroonian politics for many years now, and that for this election, which promises to be crucial for the future of our country, all players, all political parties representing a particular stratum, a particular sensitivity of our population, should be able to compete. I hope that he will have legal arguments to see his candidacy rehabilitated after the dispute at the Constitutional Council level.”

Maurice Kamto has officially appealed to the Constitutional Council to contest his exclusion from the presidential race.

Former Minister Issa Tchiroma Babary, running under the National Front for the Salvation of Cameroon (FNSC), emphasized the Council’s role as a neutral arbiter. He stressed the importance of “impartiality and integrity, in fully assuming its responsibilities.” He added, “It is its duty to guarantee respect for the Constitution, protection of the rights of every citizen, and transparency in the management of the electoral process and public affairs.” Tchiroma also underlined Kamto’s credentials: “In view of Professor Kamto’s internationally recognized competence in legal matters, [he] had surrounded himself upstream with all the necessary legal measures to ensure that his candidacy complied with the requisite requirements.” He urged authorities to restore Kamto’s rights “and that he enjoy, without restriction, the prerogatives conferred on him by law, in the same way as any political actor or citizen protected by the Constitution.”

Hermine Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya, president of the Cameroon Democratic Union (UDC) and presidential candidate, also criticized the exclusion. She lamented the invalidation of Kamto and the president of the USDP, both of whom are part of a platform pushing for a unified opposition and a consensual electoral code. “We sincerely hope that the Constitutional Council will examine their appeals fairly, so that they can rejoin the common dynamic,” she declared.

From the Universe party, candidate Akere Muna voiced his “deep concern at the rejection of Professor Maurice Kamto’s candidacy.” He argued that the decision lacks legal merit. “This rejection, to which others can be added, is based on grounds that correspond neither to the established facts nor to the provisions of article 121 of the Electoral Code, and more particularly to those of article 5, paragraph 2,” he said. That article stipulates that: “The members of Elections Cameroon, in the exercise of their functions, must not, under any circumstances, seek or receive instructions or orders from a national or foreign public or private authority.” Muna remains hopeful that “the Constitutional Council will fully appreciate the stakes involved and will act with due diligence to guarantee impartial, transparent justice worthy of the trust of all citizens.”

Kah Walla, who leads a faction of the Cameroon People’s Party, issued a joint statement with UPC-Manidem. The declaration reads: “This disqualification confirms what we have been denouncing for years: a locked, biased and deeply discredited electoral process.”

Despite mounting criticism from opposition leaders and civil society, Elections Cameroon (Elecam) has yet to issue a response. The silence is further deepening suspicions of arbitrary and politically motivated decision-making in Kamto’s exclusion from the race.

Source: Sbbc

30, July 2025

US: Kamala Harris rules out running for California governor ⁰

Former US presidential candidate Kamala Harris says she will not run for governor of California.

Following her unsuccessful 2024 presidential bid, reports suggested Harris was weighing entering next year’s election to lead her home state of California, where she had served as a US senator and worked as a prosecutor.

“After deep reflection,” the former vice-president, a Democrat, said in a statement on social media, “I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election.”

“For now, my leadership – and public service – will not be in elected office,” she added, saying she would share “more details in the months ahead about my own plans.”

Her decision leaves the door open for her to mount another try for the White House in 2028, while also removing a possible frontrunner from the race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, a fellow Democrat understood to have his own presidential ambitions.

In her statement, Harris appeared to address worries within her own party about its direction and future after she lost November’s election to President Donald Trump.

“As we look ahead, we must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking—committed to our same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook,” she posted.

Primaries for California’s next governor are set to take place in June 2026, before the general election in November. Newsom is completing his second and final term and the new governor will take office in 2027.

Democrats dominate the state’s political leadership, and whoever wins the party’s nomination will be expected to then take the governorship. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the last Republican to serve as governor, left office in 2011.

An economic powerhouse of America, California would be the world’s 5th largest economy if it were a country. It’s also home to the Silicon Valley, where companies like Apple and Meta are based, giving its governor, as well as its regulations and laws, influence at the national level.

Source: BBC

30, July 2025

Ivory Coast: President Ouattara to run for fourth term in October election ⁰

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said Tuesday he will seek a fourth term in Ivory Coast’s October 25 election, as tensions rise over the exclusion of many heavyweight opposition candidates.

He had been earlier officially nominated by the ruling Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) party as its candidate, but had not yet said if he would contest.

“I am a candidate because the constitution of our country allows me to run for another term and my health permits it,” the 83-year-old said, adding that the world’s top cocoa producer was “facing unprecedented security, economic, and monetary challenges, the management of which requires experience”.

The 83-year-old president declared his plan in a televised announcement. He won a third term in 2020 after he initially said he wasn’t going to run again. However, he changed his position following the death of his hand-picked successor, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly.

The opposition has accused the authorities of choosing their opponents by legal means, but the government insists the judiciary acts independently.

The two main opposition parties have launched a joint campaign to demand the reinstatement of their barred leaders ahead of the presidential election.

This alliance brings together the African People’s Party of Ivory Coast (PPACI) – led by former president Laurent Gbagbo – and the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), the country’s largest opposition force, headed by former international banker Tidjane Thiam.

Thiame has already been barred from running by a court because he has dual citizenship.

Ouattara’s candidacy is contested after he reset the presidential term limit in a constitutional change.

Source: Reuters

30, July 2025

Cameroon’s natural wealth worth $222 billion ⁰

Cameroon’s natural capital is valued at $222.3 billion, or about 130,000 billion CFA francs, according to a recent African Development Bank (AfDB) report focusing on the country. This represents 39% of Cameroon’s national wealth and a 4.5% rise from the $212 billion estimated previously.

The World Bank’s 2025 report on Cameroon’s economic situation previously stated that national wealth consists of human, physical, produced, and natural capital. It assessed Cameroon’s natural wealth at 331,800 billion CFA francs.

The AfDB notes Cameroon’s natural capital includes renewable resources such as biodiversity-rich forests that are crucial for climate regulation and carbon sequestration. The country also has an estimated 12,000 megawatts of unexploited hydroelectric potential and significant solar potential, with an average insolation of 5.8 kWh per square meter per day, which favors clean energy production. Non-renewable natural capital comprises oil, natural gas, and mineral resources.

Despite this “significant potential, which constitutes a strategic lever for economic transformation and the achievement of sustainable development goals” in Cameroon, the AfDB observed that “the contribution of natural capital to the Cameroonian economy remains moderate, as its potential is underexploited.” The financial institution cited a decline in natural capital’s contribution to gross domestic product as proof. Natural capital rents fell from 6.5% of GDP in 2018 to 4.7% in 2020, reflecting a decline in the effective economic valuation of these resources, the AfDB reported.

The AfDB noted that the 4.5% increase in natural capital over 25 years conceals a marked relative degradation. Natural capital per capita sharply decreased by 47.9%, falling from $16,105 in 1995 to $8,392 in 2020, the AfDB reported. This decline primarily stems from increasing demographic pressure and unsustainable resource exploitation.

Source: Business in Cameroon