Society

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the United Nations ( UN ) has asked the Cameroonian government to "put an end to the arbitrary detention of Paul Eric Kingué " In a report received today by Cameroon Concord , the  UN Group on Arbitrary Detention , which had exerted pressure and succeeded in the release of Thierry Michel Atangana and Pierre Désiré Engo recently told the Cameroon government to end all " judicial harassment " against Paul Eric Kingué  and all other political prisoners. Paul Eric Kingué former mayor of Njombe – Penja in Mungo Division, Littoral region since 2007 was arrested and charged for corruption. On 28 February 2008, Paul Eric Kingue was arrested by the Rapid Response Battalion ( Bir ), and a branch of the National Gendarmerie. He was prosecuted for inciting an anti CPDM revolt in Njombe - Penja from the 25 to 28 February 2008. The Biya regime later on concocted other charges such as forgery and embezzlement of public funds against him. Cameroon Concord understands that he was first detained at the main prison in Nkongsamba and was later transferred on November 9, 2009 to the Central Prison in Douala. On January 19, 2009, the High Court in Nkongsamba sentenced him to six years in prison and ordered him to pay 800 million CFA francs to Plantations Company in Upper Penja and 4,000,000 to Daniel Nsonga who had begun legal proceedings against him. On February the 29, 2012, the same Nkongsamba court dished him a life sentence for an alleged 10 million CFA francs diversion. The UN arbitrary detention group noted that   three charges were brought against him while serving his term as mayor of the town of Njombe – Penja namely," the hijacking of a water supply project, renting a motor grader outside of his municipality and fictitious delivery of fuel. " By some strange happenstance, on March 26, 2012, the Court of Appeal acquitted  Paul Eric Kingué in the case of forgery.On 14 November 2012, the same court confirmed his conviction for embezzlement of public funds but reduced the amount to  3.46 million CFA francs.  The proceedings leading to the conviction of Mayor Michel Eric Kingue is riddled with violations of the rights of defence. According to Mayor Paul Eric Kingué’s legal team, he was sentenced without having been informed of the allegations against him as provided in Articles 3, 40, 41 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in Cameroon. He was also condemned without being heard by a judge and above all, his arrest and detention were executed without a warrant. President Biya had gone ahead and expelled him and his followers from his CPDM ruling party but will Paul Biya resist UN pressure?

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Ngwa Bertrand

30.Oct.2014

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 The Biya regime is yet to make an official announcement granting the late Minister Francis Nkwain a state burial. The family of the late elderly statesman have gone ahead and made public a vigil for the 1st of November 2014 both in Yaounde where he passed unto glory and at his Njinikom residence. Cameroon Concord's Ndim Bernard Ngouche reported earlier today that  "nothing has filtered from the senate where he was a member of bureau and nothing has filtered either from the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon". However, speculations are high that he shall be granted a state burial because he was a former Minister and an acting senator. Cameroon shall forever remember Hon. Francis Nkwain for the pivotal role he played for his country to gain admission into the club of gentlemen; the Commonwealth of Nations. His great contribution did not only end with the admission of Cameroon  into this historic club; he effectively played a key role during the just ended Commonwealth Summit that ended in Yaounde this last October.

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Ngwa Bertrand

28.Oct.2014

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A Nigerian drug trafficker has died at a Spanish airport after cocaine bags inside his stomach split open and airport staff did not touch him over Ebola fears. The man, who had arrived at Madrid-Barajas airport on a flight from the Turkish city of Istanbul on October 18, succumbed to the symptoms of a cocaine overdose and started shaking on the floor, Russia Today (RT) reported on Saturday. However, nobody approached the man for at least 50 minutes as he was thought to be an Ebola patient. Airport officials reportedly called medical specialists who found the man “unconscious with a weak pulse and suffering breathing difficulties.” Minutes later, it turned out that the man was not infected with the virus, and finally, he was taken to hospital. It was, however, too late and he died 25 minutes after arriving at hospital.His wife said the Nigerian had not travelled to his homeland in the last four years.

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Ngwa Bertrand

26.Oct.2014

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 StrangerConsulting, a social media and web development company based in Germany with affiliates in Cameroon held a social media workshop at the Bamenda City Council on October 13 2014.The agenda for the workshop was the implementation of social media as an important mechanism for advancing government effectiveness.  The forum that was directed by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of StrangerConsulting Akwe Marcel was basically on using social media tools to communicate important information to constituents and improve delivery of services.  Cameroon Concord gathered that participants were lectured on how to use social media in communications, promoting and updating the Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Youtube pages of the Bamenda City Council and providing minute by minute content to update the city website. The expert from the Federal Republic of Germany gave the delegates tips on how to promote Bamenda city council’s initiatives and to manage a fruitful dialogue with the public through social media. The major areas covered by the workshop included engagement and Listening. In this regard, StrangerConsulting provided the Bamenda City Council delegates and officials with the savoir faire on the use of social media to pay attention to what people are saying regarding the activities of the council. The workshop also did highlight the educational aspect of keeping the Bamenda population informed on public safety, actual food prices, road maintenance policy of the council, current construction sites and deviation alternatives for drivers and above all, pharmacies on call.

Speaking of the Bamenda City Council policy of engagement, Akwe Marcel demonstrated that the city council can reach a large audience with social media and spread messages and information to many of its constituents and employees alike with relatively little or no cost. The German IT guru hinted that Bamenda City Council leadership should be encouraging people to like the pages of Bamenda City Council on social media. This he pointed out will enable them to see all updates from the city council in their news feeds likewise on their respective timelines.   StrangerConsulting experts revealed that  Facebook and Twitter are of vital importance to  all residence of Bamenda as users can communicate instantly with one another about any subject at any time. The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to become more familiar with the specific challenges in using social media for public administrations and institutions. It also teleguided Bamenda City Council workers to the policy of achieving great results with little effort. Some of the participants who spoke to Cameroon Concord at the end of the atelier noted that they were now fully aware of the specific risks and pitfalls and what you have to take into account when using social media in public institutions. The workshop also made available IT insights on how to develop a social media campaign and keep the conversation relevant, the use of social media most efficiently in order to save time, personnel and money and how to improve your already existing social media presence knowing which types of social media supports your company’s objectives and how to engage people and achieve civic participation by using social media.

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Ngwa Bertrand

24.Oct.2014

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Barely a week after the Cameroonian dictator buried his mother-in-law Madam Rosette Mboutchouang, President Biya again is bereaved. The death of his most beloved sister Mama Regine Bidjang has been announced in Yaounde. Mama Regine Bidjang died at the Yaounde General Hospital at the age of 90. 

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Ngwa Bertrand

20.Oct.2014

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His Majesty Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland has told his people that he plans to pay every young girl the sum of 14 euros a month for them to abstain from any sexual related activity. King Mswati III, who is also Africa's most reckless and tactless polygamist said his proposal is part of a World Bank sponsored scheme in Swaziland aimed at stopping the spread of the HIV virus. The 46 year old King Mswati III has 15 wives and he is also allowed by the customs and tradition of his people to chose a new wife every year during the Umhlanga Dance ceremony where more than 70,000 women take part.  

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Ngwa Bertrand

20.Oct.2014

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