Politics

People in the Central African Republic (CAR) are going to the polls in much-delayed elections in the hope of putting an end to years of violence in the country. Polling stations for the presidential and parliamentary votes opened on Wednesday. Thirty candidates, including former prime ministers, Anicet-Georges Dologuele and Martin Ziguele, are running for president.

The elections had been postponed four times since February 2015 due to insecurity and logistical challenges. In a Tuesday statement, the United Nations (UN)’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for calm and credible elections in the African country. He urged “all national stakeholders to commit themselves to ensuring that the elections are conducted in a peaceful and credible manner.”

The 11,000-strong UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is working to reinforce security and prevent “any possible disruption to the election process,” he added. The CAR has been convulsed by turmoil since 2013, when Christian anti-balaka militiamen launched coordinated attacks against the mostly Muslim Seleka group, which had toppled the government in March that year. Thousands of people are believed to have been killed in the conflict.

In December that year, France deployed troops to the CAR, a former French colony, after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution giving the African Union and France the go-ahead for the troop deployment, though the measure failed to end violence in the country. According to the latest UN estimates, the conflict in the CAR has internally displaced some 400,000 people and forced more than 460,000 to flee to neighboring countries.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

30.Dec.2015

Hits: 1662

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree extending Moscow's economic sanctions against Turkey, Kremlin officials say. The decree, signed on Monday, is to implement unenforced sanctions initially imposed on Turkey on November 28 together with a set of new measures to come into force as of January 1, 2016. Russia’s primary sanctions against Turkey came four days after the Turkish military on November 24 brought down a Russian Sukhoi aircraft, which as Ankara claimed, violated the Turkish airspace near the Syrian border. Moscow rejected the claim. 

The sanctions included a ban on the employment of Turkish citizens by Russian employers, restricted imports of certain Turkish goods such as vegetables and fruits, ban on charter flights between the two countries and also suspension of travel package sale to Turkey. According to the new presidential order, there will be a ban imposed on the operations of several organizations under the jurisdiction of Turkey as well as a limitation of Turkish organizations’ activities in Russia. Meanwhile, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also announced that Moscow is to introduce additional measures against Ankara in retaliation for the downing of the Russian jet. "There will be further action, which will be announced later, the prime minister has already announced them at the [government] meetings," said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich.

Dvorkovich, refusing termination of cooperation between Russia and Turkey, added, "We believe that there is a need for an adequate response towards the unfriendly actions." Referring to the incident as “a stab in the back by the accomplices of terrorists,” Putin had already said the downing of the Russian plane would have "serious consequences" for Moscow-Ankara ties.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

29.Dec.2015

Hits: 1649

President Paul Biya, some have claimed is a man of rigor and moralization. He is widely believed to have set the course for what is now the fight against corruption in Cameroon. He was heard saying recently that "During this hard times that we live, the large and long work of national construction involves the rigorous management and perseverance vis-à-vis the maneuvering force of demoralization, demobilization or destabilization". On the 31st of December, 2005, in his message to the nation, the Head of State, in a firm tone said, "the diversion of public funds to the detriment of the Cameroonian people. I would say today, very solemnly, has to stop." 

In September 2007, in a press release made by the Cabinet, as in many other speeches, the Cameroonian Chief Executive reaffirmed his determination to fight every form of evil which prevents Cameroon from emerging as a great nation. He observed that "misappropriation of public funds, in whatever form, is a crime against the people deprived of the resources that belong to them. Such individuals must therefore be punished with the greatest severity." Correspondingly, Law No. 2001/028 of December 14th, 2011 created the Special Criminal Court. It was followed by Decree No. 2013/288 of September the 4th, 2013 that set the part for the return of stolen money from the state coffers.

However, on December the 23rd, 2015, in response to recent accusations of corruption made by Transparency International, Issa Bakary Tchiroma Cameroon's Communications Minister and Government Spokesman revealed that, "to date, there are at the Special Criminal Court, 129 files forwarded to the Specialized Corps of the judicial police; 115 cases entered, 123 indictments; 146 sentences of imprisonment with fines and court costs; 40 non-places visited; 78 acquittals; 41 decisions pending with over three billion CFA francs in refund as corpus delicti including almost 30 billion Swiss francs pronounced for damages suffered by the state. "

Interestingly, before the creation of the Special Criminal Court, the ruling CPDM regime had CONAC, (National Anti-Corruption Commission), whose president was reportedly involved in numerous financial scandals. The Biya regime also had ANIF (National Financial Investigation Agency), whose members lived a princely lifestyle at the expense of the Cameroonian taxpayer. All in all, the CPDM had CONSUPE (Higher State Control), and the Council of Budgetary and Financial Discipline (CDBF) both habouring fraudsters and looters.

Biya's 32 years in power have seen castles, spectacular scientific complexes, villas and many 5 star duplexes belonging to highly placed CPDM officials and members of government springing up in Cameroonian cities, without their owners being asked about the origin of their fortune. Who now is fooling who here? We of this publication believe and fervently too, that Minister Issa Tchiroma needs rest.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

28.Dec.2015

Hits: 2197

President Paul Biya, some have claimed is a man of rigor and moralization. He is widely believed to have set the course for what is now the fight against corruption in Cameroon. He was heard saying recently that "During this hard times that we live, the large and long work of national construction involves the rigorous management and perseverance vis-à-vis the maneuvering force of demoralization, demobilization or destabilization". On the 31st of December, 2005, in his message to the nation, the Head of State, in a firm tone said, "the diversion of public funds to the detriment of the Cameroonian people. I would say today, very solemnly, has to stop." 

In September 2007, in a press release made by the Cabinet, as in many other speeches, the Cameroonian Chief Executive reaffirmed his determination to fight every form of evil which prevents Cameroon from emerging as a great nation. He observed that "misappropriation of public funds, in whatever form, is a crime against the people deprived of the resources that belong to them. Such individuals must therefore be punished with the greatest severity." Correspondingly, Law No. 2001/028 of December 14th, 2011 created the Special Criminal Court. It was followed by Decree No. 2013/288 of September the 4th, 2013 that set the part for the return of stolen money from the state coffers.

However, on December the 23rd, 2015, in response to recent accusations of corruption made by Transparency International, Issa Bakary Tchiroma Cameroon's Communications Minister and Government Spokesman revealed that, "to date, there are at the Special Criminal Court, 129 files forwarded to the Specialized Corps of the judicial police; 115 cases entered, 123 indictments; 146 sentences of imprisonment with fines and court costs; 40 non-places visited; 78 acquittals; 41 decisions pending with over three billion CFA francs in refund as corpus delicti including almost 30 billion Swiss francs pronounced for damages suffered by the state. "

Interestingly, before the creation of the Special Criminal Court, the ruling CPDM regime had CONAC, (National Anti-Corruption Commission), whose president was reportedly involved in numerous financial scandals. The Biya regime also had ANIF (National Financial Investigation Agency), whose members lived a princely lifestyle at the expense of the Cameroonian taxpayer. All in all, the CPDM had CONSUPE (Higher State Control), and the Council of Budgetary and Financial Discipline (CDBF) both habouring fraudsters and looters.

Biya's 32 years in power have seen castles, spectacular scientific complexes, villas and many 5 star duplexes belonging to highly placed CPDM officials and members of government springing up in Cameroonian cities, without their owners being asked about the origin of their fortune. Who now is fooling who here? We of this publication believe and fervently too, that Minister Issa Tchiroma needs rest.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

28.Dec.2015

Hits: 1718

President Paul Biya, some have claimed is a man of rigor and moralization. He is widely believed to have set the course for what is now the fight against corruption in Cameroon. He was heard saying recently that "During this hard times that we live, the large and long work of national construction involves the rigorous management and perseverance vis-à-vis the maneuvering force of demoralization, demobilization or destabilization". On the 31st of December, 2005, in his message to the nation, the Head of State, in a firm tone said, "the diversion of public funds to the detriment of the Cameroonian people. I would say today, very solemnly, has to stop." 

In September 2007, in a press release made by the Cabinet, as in many other speeches, the Cameroonian Chief Executive reaffirmed his determination to fight every form of evil which prevents Cameroon from emerging as a great nation. He observed that "misappropriation of public funds, in whatever form, is a crime against the people deprived of the resources that belong to them. Such individuals must therefore be punished with the greatest severity." Correspondingly, Law No. 2001/028 of December 14th, 2011 created the Special Criminal Court. It was followed by Decree No. 2013/288 of September the 4th, 2013 that set the part for the return of stolen money from the state coffers.

However, on December the 23rd, 2015, in response to recent accusations of corruption made by Transparency International, Issa Bakary Tchiroma Cameroon's Communications Minister and Government Spokesman revealed that, "to date, there are at the Special Criminal Court, 129 files forwarded to the Specialized Corps of the judicial police; 115 cases entered, 123 indictments; 146 sentences of imprisonment with fines and court costs; 40 non-places visited; 78 acquittals; 41 decisions pending with over three billion CFA francs in refund as corpus delicti including almost 30 billion Swiss francs pronounced for damages suffered by the state. "

Interestingly, before the creation of the Special Criminal Court, the ruling CPDM regime had CONAC, (National Anti-Corruption Commission), whose president was reportedly involved in numerous financial scandals. The Biya regime also had ANIF (National Financial Investigation Agency), whose members lived a princely lifestyle at the expense of the Cameroonian taxpayer. All in all, the CPDM had CONSUPE (Higher State Control), and the Council of Budgetary and Financial Discipline (CDBF) both habouring fraudsters and looters.

Biya's 32 years in power have seen castles, spectacular scientific complexes, villas and many 5 star duplexes belonging to highly placed CPDM officials and members of government springing up in Cameroonian cities, without their owners being asked about the origin of their fortune. Who now is fooling who here? We of this publication believe and fervently too, that Minister Issa Tchiroma needs rest.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

28.Dec.2015

Hits: 1686

At least 15 people have been killed after Boko Haram Takfiri militants carried out gun and bombing attacks in a key city in northeastern Nigeria, reports say. The militants attacked Jiddari Polo, an area located on the outskirts of Borno State’s capital, Maiduguri, on Sunday evening. Locals who were attending prayers at a mosque in the area said they heard the sound of gunfire and artillery rounds following evening prayers. Residents also started to flee their homes to other areas in the city after the attacks, according to reports.

The death toll from the attacks is expected to rise. "We have to wait until the morning to have a good picture of the aftermath of the clash, because it happened in the dark," said Babakura Kolo, a civilian assisting the Nigerian military. The attacks, which were the first to be carried out in Maiduguri in recent months, ended after the Nigerian military responded with artillery fire. The terrorist group has been trying to regain control over Maiduguri, which is the group’s birthplace.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

28.Dec.2015

Hits: 1485