20, March 2021
Cameroon has approved Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine for use against COVID-19, Russia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund said on Friday.
The Russian vaccine has now been approved in 53 countries, RDIF, which is promoting the shot globally, said.
Source: Reuters
20, March 2021
Cameroon’s health ministry has suspended administration of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine it was scheduled to receive on March 20 as part of the global vaccines sharing scheme COVAX.
The ministry said in a statement that March 18 that the suspension was for precaution and prudence. It gave no further reasons for the decision or if it will go ahead and take delivery of its share of the vaccine.
Several countries have resumed use of shots on Friday after the European Union and British regulators said the benefits outweighed any risks after reports of rare instances of blood clotting that temporarily halted inoculations.
Source: USnews
20, March 2021
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Saturday led mourners in paying their last respects to her predecessor John Magufuli, who died suddenly this week after an illness shrouded in mystery.
Mourners lined the streets of Dar es Salaam to bid farewell to the late president, some of them weeping and throwing flower petals as the casket, towed on a gun carriage by a military vehicle, was transferred from a church to Uhuru Stadium to lie in state.
“Before I saw the coffin, I didn’t believe our president was really dead,” said flower-seller Pauline Attony after watching the motorcade pass.
Hassan, who was sworn in Friday to become the country’s first female president, led a government procession filing past the coffin, which was draped in the Tanzanian flag, offering her condolences to Magufuli’s wife.
Many wore black, or the green and yellow colours of the ruling party, but few inside the stadium or among the packed crowds outside wore face masks in the Covid-sceptic country – a scepticism Magufuli himself had embodied.
“It is too soon for you to go, father. You touched our lives and we still needed you,” said one mourner, Beatrice Edward.
“We lost our defender,” said another, Suleiman Mbonde, a tradesman.
Coronavirus sceptic
The government announced Wednesday that Magufuli, 61, had died from a heart condition at a hospital in Dar es Salaam after three weeks missing from public view.
His unexplained absence had fuelled speculation that the famously Covid-sceptic leader was being treated for coronavirus abroad.
Tundu Lissu, Tanzania’s main opposition leader, insists his sources said Magufuli had died a week earlier from the disease that he had long downplayed.
Lissu has lived in exile in Belgium since last November, after losing the presidential election against Magufuli, which he says was rigged.
Magufuli had declared that prayer had rid the country of Covid-19, refused face masks or lockdown measures, stopped the publication of case statistics and championed alternative medicine, decrying vaccines as “dangerous”.
But by February, cases had soared. After the deaths of a number of senior figures – officially from pneumonia – the president popularly known as the “Bulldozer” had to concede that the virus was still circulating.
While Hassan says she will take over where Magufuli left off, hopes are high she will usher in a change in leadership style from her predecessor, under whose rules there had been repeated attacks on the opposition.
All eyes will be on her handling of the pandemic.
A softly spoken veteran politician, Hassan will convene a special meeting of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party Saturday, where the appointment of a new deputy is expected to be discussed.
Under the constitution, the 61-year-old will serve the remainder of Magufuli’s second five-year term, which does not expire until 2025.
She has announced a 21-day mourning period. The late president will lie in state in several locations across Tanzania before his burial next Friday in his home town of Chato.
(AFP)
20, March 2021
The former Cameroonian international Samuel Eto’o has told Africanews that he regrets a decision by French clubs not to release their players for the qualifiers of the African Cup of Nations, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Eto’o was in the French city of Lyon to receive a Doctorate honor from the Lyon Business School for his works in his country and in Africa. Africa News caught up with him after the ceremony.
Africa News: ”The news is obviously that of the new President of the Confederation of African Football, South Africa’s Motsepe. You have congratulated him. Is he someone that African football needs? What do you think he will bring?”
Samuel Eto’o: “Look, it’s been a few days. The president is here. Let them work. And then you will see. But he is someone who loves football, he has worked in his country. He has a football team for several years that works very well. Let’s now see what he will bring at the continental level. We wish him well.”
Africa News: ”There are African teams that will be at the front in a few days. There is a kind of controversy now about the fact that some clubs will not be able to release their players to go to their respective countries. How do you react to this?”
Samuel Eto’o: “I would like to understand. I think that the real problem is not in Africa because we will see, the problem is rather in Europe now, depriving its national teams of their players. I would say that if I were president of a federation, I would take measures that will not allow these players to play in clubs. But as I am not and I remain just a football lover, so I look at it without having too much force.”
Faced with this situation, the Senegalese Football Federation, which has many players in France, has requested the intervention of the French Football Federation. The last two days of the CAN qualifiers will be held from March 26 to 30.
Source: Africa News
20, March 2021
Holders Bayern Munich will take on last year’s beaten finalists Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals while record 13-time winners Real Madrid meet Liverpool in a repeat of the 2018 final.
The draw also pitted Premier League leaders Manchester City against Borussia Dortmund, with Chelsea set to play Porto in the other tie.
Bayern defeated PSG 1-0 behind closed doors in Lisbon last August to win their sixth European Cup and remain the team to beat in Europe, having won 18 and drawn one of their 19 games in the Champions League since the beginning of last season.
The first leg is set to be played in Germany on April 6 or 7, with the return in Paris a week later.
Meanwhile, the meeting of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Real is another re-run of a recent final, with the Spaniards beating the Reds 3-1 in Kiev in 2018 to win the last of their record 13 titles to date.
Liverpool bounced back from that to lift the trophy for the sixth time in Madrid in 2019.
Klopp’s side are due to be away from home in the first leg, but it remains to be seen where that match will be played.
Atletico Madrid’s home leg against Chelsea in the last 16 ended up being moved to the Romanian capital Bucharest due to restrictions imposed on travel to Spain by British authorities.
The winner between Liverpool and Real will go onto a semi-final against either Chelsea or Porto, throwing up the possibility of an all-English last-four tie.
Liverpool beat Chelsea in the semi-finals in 2005 and again in 2007.
Unbeaten in 13 games since the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as coach in late January, Chelsea will be expected to get the better of Portuguese champions Porto, who ousted Juventus in the last 16.
However, that tie could also be relocated given travel restrictions between the United Kingdom and Portgual which prompted both legs of last month’s Europa League clash between Arsenal and Benfica to be played at neutral venues, in Italy and Greece.
Meanwhile City will be strong favourites against Dortmund, with the winner of that tie going through to a semi-final showdown with either Bayern or PSG.
Travel restrictions between the UK and Germany could also have an impact on City’s tie against Erling Braut Haaland’s Dortmund.
Both legs of City’s last-16 tie against Borussia Moenchengladbach were played in Budapest, as were both legs of Liverpool’s tie against RB Leipzig in the last round.
This season’s semi-finals are due to be played in late April and early May, with the final scheduled for May 29 in Istanbul.
(AFP)
20, March 2021
The Republic of Congo votes in presidential elections on Sunday with incumbent Denis Sassou Nguesso aiming to extend his decades-long hold on power in the Central African state.
Sassou Nguesso has accumulated 36 years in office — he was most recently re-elected in 2016, after which the opposition was effectively sidelined and his two main rivals sentenced to 20 years’ forced labour.
The 77-year-old retired paratrooper appears favoured to win a fourth term in Sunday’s ballot. The largest opposition group, the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy, is boycotting the vote.
Sassou Nguesso hopes for a first-round victory over six challengers, including former minister Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas, who was runner-up in 2016, and former finance minister Mathias Dzon.
“One shot, KO,” proclaimed his campaign posters forecasting a win for the candidate.
Sassou Nguesso has placed youth and the development of agriculture at the heart of his campaign, pointing out that the country imports most of what it consumes despite its farming resources.
Several thousand supporters, some waving banners with his initials “DSN”, rallied for his last campaign stop in Brazzaville on Friday, where he promised more programmes for the country’s youth.
“Our policies in favour of young people will continue with force and vigour during the next mandate,” he told his supporters.
But his pitch to the young seems to have met a mixed response in a country where most of the population of five million are people aged under 25 who have never known another president.
“Even if there is some hassle here, there’s no war like in other countries. Better to stay with Sassou who brings us peace, at least that is good,” said Mariela, a 19-year-old high-school student in the coastal city of Pointe-Noire.
“There’s no point voting,” said Francesc, a 25-year-old law student in the capital Brazzaville. “The dice are loaded in advance.”
Congo’s Catholic Church episcopal conference has already expressed “serious reservations” about the transparency of the ballot and fears a possible internet shutdown on Sunday, as in the 2016 election.
Oil-dependent
Sitting between Gabon and its giant neighbour the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo has significant oil reserves and 80 percent of its budget comes from petroleum.
But the former French colony, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, has been hit hard by cycles of falling world crude prices and is also hobbled by debt, corruption and poor infrastructure.
Per-capita GDP in 2012, at the height of an oil boom, peaked at $3,922, but tumbled to $2,279 in 2019, according to World Bank figures.
Last year, the economy contracted by 6.8 percent, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB). In the 2020 UN Human Development Index, a benchmark of poverty, the country ranked 175 out of 189 countries.
Transparency International classed Congo 165th out of 179 countries in its 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Members of the Sassou Nguesso family were placed under investigation in Paris in 2017 in a case involving alleged “ill-gotten gains”.
Last July, the NGO Global Witness said US federal prosecutors were probing his son, Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, over alleged embezzlement of several million dollars from the publicly-owned National Society of Petroleum of Congo (SNPC).
Thirty-six years in power
A former elite paratrooper, Sassou Nguesso first ruled from 1979 under a one-party system, stepping down in 1992 when he placed third in multi-party elections.
He then returned to power in 1997 at the end of one of Congo’s civil wars. He won votes in 2002 and 2009, although both victories were contested by the opposition.
A controversial 2015 referendum removed a 70-year age limit and a ban on presidents serving more than two terms, allowing Sassou Nguesso to run again the following year.
That election sparked protests in Brazzaville and an armed conflict by anti-government rebels in the southern Pool region.
Two Sassou Nguesso rivals, former army general Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and ex-minister Andre Okombi Salissa, who contested the results, were later jailed for breaching state security and illegal detention of weapons.
France, the country’s biggest supporter, has been urged to push hard for fair elections and condemn rights abuse.
A group of French and Congolese activists, in a commentary published by Le Monde in Paris, said “the Republic of Congo, like French diplomacy, should return to democracy.”
(AFP)
20, March 2021
AMBAZONIAN GENERAL SPIRITO of FOE BAKUNDU KILLED IN BATTLE
Fellow Ambazonians,
The Interim Government of Ambazonia can confirm this evening that, yesterday, Thursday 18 March 2021, a great Ambazonian warrior was killed in battle.
General Spirito was unfortunately killed in a battle in Foe Bakundu, Mbonge LGA, Meme County as he commanded a brave battalion of Ambazonian troops in a fierce battle against the invading armed forces of French Cameroun.
French Cameroun forces executed eight unarmed civilians in an unprovoked attack yesterday in Foe Bakundu. This prompted General Spirito to engage the enemy and sadly he lost his life with another brave warrior that Ambazonia Intelligence Services is working vigorously to identify.
General Spirito has been at the forefront of our battle for independence and freedom from the start and has never wavered. He was a fierce fighter who defended our homeland with will power and bravery. Thanks to his foresight, The Interim Government Ambazonia can announce that he leaves behind other heroes who will keep his vision for freedom burning.
General Spirito’s death is a timely reminder to our young nation about the dangers faced by our heroic forces in this fight for liberation. As a nation, let this day strengthen our collective resolve for freedom.
Let the death of General Spirito strengthen our boldness in protecting homeland through the big Rubbergun. Let us honor his vision for freedom by investing in the Big Rubbergun.
God Bless General Spirito’s soul for he died a fighter and a champion for freedom and independence for mankind.
God Bless the Federal Republic of Ambazonia
Thank You,
Dabney Yerima
Vice President
19, March 2021
A senior Southern Cameroons academic with strong ties to the Ambazonia Interim Government, Dr Patrick Ayuk, says the much publicized Swiss talks for resolving the crisis opposing French and British Southern Cameroons has not offered anything to the suffering people of Ambazonia.
“Those who announced the talks are following the same policies as those of the Biya French Cameroun regime in Yaoundé. The talks are only on social media and the Swiss government has not offered anything to the English speaking people of Southern Cameroons-Ambazonia. Bern is rather helping the corrupt French Cameroun regime of President Biya” Dr Patrick Ayuk said in interview with Cameroon Concord News on Wednesday evening.
Dr Patrick Ayuk pointed out that the so-called Swiss talk is simply nothing. “Through the Ambazonia leader President Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, the people of British Southern Cameroons have offered their vision plan for a solution to the Southern Cameroons crisis which includes withdrawing all French Cameroun forces from Ambazonian streets, freeing all British Southern Cameroons prisoners, granting general amnesty to Southern Cameroonians in the diaspora and committing to an international mediated negotiation, in a neutral venue. The people of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia are waiting for a response from La Republique du Cameroun.”
“The Ambazonia Interim Government is ready to engage in negotiations but as Vice President Dabney Yerima recently opined, due to the many Covid-19 deaths recorded in Southern Cameroons lately, the humanitarian issue should be separated from military and political matters” Dr Patrick Ayuk furthered.
The Swiss government is yet to appoint a special envoy for Southern Cameroons, but claims that consultations have been going on with some Southern Cameroons pro independence groups.
The Biya Francophone regime does not appear interested in a ceasefire at this moment, and is supposedly prioritizing a military campaign to stifle the Southern Cameroons uprising.
By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai
19, March 2021
The Southern Cameroons Secretary of the Economy, Comrade Tabenyang Brado says through the Bank of Ambazonia, Southern Cameroons will muster all its strength to continue on the path towards achieving an independent state by investing in the Big Rubbergun Project and self defense.
Secretary Tabenyang Brado made the comments on Wednesday in a brilliant submission to a virtual Amba war cabinet meeting chaired by Vice President Dabney Yerima as he made public plans for the financing of the final and decisive phase of the Ambazonian resistance.
On Ground Zero, French Cameroun military hostilities will persist, Tabenyang Brado said, adding, “The department of the Economy will remain involved in raising money for the struggle as well as in the area of self defense and the Big Rubbergun, and my department will continue to achieve top goals in the independence battle with our full strength.”
He said ever since the US Senate passed Resolution 684 which called on the US government to explore placing targeted sanctions on members of the ruling CPDM crime syndicate regime in Yaoundé for gross human rights violations in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, the Biya Francophone regime has been under maximum pressure.
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20, March 2021
CPDM Crime Syndicate election of octogenarians to top posts draws mixed reactions 0
There have been mixed reactions in Cameroon to 88-year-old President Paul Biya’s orders that his party-dominated upper and lower houses of Parliament re-elect officials who are over 80 years old to top positions. According to the central African state’s constitution, Marcel Niat Njifenji, the 87-year-old president of the Senate, the upper house of Parliament, would take over and organize elections if Biya were to die.
Members of the National Assembly, the lower house of Cameroon’s Parliament Wednesday applauded as Cavaye Yegue Djibril was re-elected speaker. The 81-year-old Cavaye said he appreciated Biya’s making his re-election possible.
Djibril said he is highly indebted to Biya for asking his ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, or CPDM, lawmakers to retain him in his position.
Djibril has been National Assembly speaker for 30 years. The lone candidate, he garnered 147 votes in the 180-seat body.
Many Cameroonians expected he would be replaced by a younger lawmaker. However, Biya summoned the 152 CPDM lawmakers together for an emergency meeting. CPDM Secretary General Jean Nkuete said Biya asked them to re-elect Djibril.
Emmanuel Banmi, a CPDM lawmaker from the English-speaking North-West region said they obeyed instructions from their party hierarchy. He said Djibril has enough experience as National Assembly speaker.
“Cavaye Yeguie Djibril is doing his work. I want to commend his devotedness. We know we have difficulties; we have concerns of security. We need to move ahead. Let the government work hand-in-hand with the representatives of the people (National Assembly) to see that the security issue is collectively addressed with the collaboration of the people,” he said.
Mukete, at 105, the oldest member of Cameroon’s Senate
Banmi said he was optimistic Djibril will work in collaboration with the government to find solutions to youth unemployment and the several armed conflicts Cameroon is facing. He said priority will be given to assisting people affected by COVID-19 and stopping the spread of the pandemic.
Djibril is Cameroon’s third most powerful state political figure after Biya and Marcel Niat Njifenji, president of the Senate, the upper house of Parliament.
The 87-year-old Njifenji, who has been Senate president since the body was created in 2013, was reelected Wednesday with 85 votes in the 100-member chamber. The CPDM controls 63 of the 70 elected Senate seats. The other 30 members, appointed by Biya, are loyal to him.
Niat said he was also grateful to Biya for his re-election.
Twenty-six-year-old Nguenang Cosmas, member of Cameroon’s National Youth Council, an independent state body that discusses issues related to the well-being of youths, says octogenarians are keeping young people from leadership positions in Cameroon.
“How could we elect people at the head of the legislature who could barely walk. The president of the Senate, Marcel Niat Njifenji, could barely walk to the hall. [The] same goes for the president of the National Assembly. Where are we heading to? It beats my imagination why the same people have been ruling. It is not good. They should leave the younger generation to show what they are capable of doing. Does it mean that only the old can rule? It is not good at all,” Cosmas said.
Under Cameroon’s constitution, if Biya were to die, were to resign or become incapacitated, Njifenji would take power, although elections would have to be organized to elect a new president in 20 to 120 days.
Culled from VOA