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Two men are presently in police custody for murdering Pastor Ewalla of PC Nkolbison.

 

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05.Jan.2018

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Amid protests from rights groups, Population and Immigration Authority calls on migrants from Sudan and Eritrea to 'leave to their country or a third country', offering $3,500 to those who depart by April, and prison to those who refuse. The Population and Immigration Authority called this week on migrants from Sudan and Eritrea to leave "to their country or to a third country," meaning Rwanda or Uganda.

Those who leave by the end of March will be given $3,500, along with airfare and other incentives. The ultimatum is part of a large-scale campaign to remove 42,000 illegal African migrants from Israel. The Hotline for Migrant Workers, an advocacy group, condemned the move Tuesday, saying expulsions "put the refugees' lives in danger."

Thousands of Africans entered Israel before it erected a fence along its border with Egypt. Many say they fled conflict and persecution and seek refugee status. Israel calls them "infiltrators" and says they are mostly economic migrants whose numbers threaten its Jewish character.

Although the government unanimously approved a bill last month to close the Holot detention facility which houses African illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, the plan still depends on successfully expelling the inhabitants to Rwanda, a move which has raised concerns among human rights groups. Israel and Rwanda recently signed an agreement whereby asylum seekers can be sent there even without their consent. Asylum seekers have been sent to Rwanda for the past three years as part of a plan encouraging voluntary emigration.Ynetnews.com

 

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Rita Akana

02.Jan.2018

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Patrice Nganang has asserted in very strong terms that the Biya administration will fall soon. The renowned author and lecturer was released days back.

He was arrested for what was termed treating Biya with contempt. He was speaking to French channel TV5 at the weekend. In the interview, he claimed that his arrest was linked to the Anglophone crisis.

At the moment of his arrest the officers kept shouting"Ambazonian, Ambazonian," he has said. It was said that Patrice was going to spend all end-of-year festivities behind bars but it came as a surprise that he was unconditionally released before the next hearing.

He was expelled from Cameroon like a fully-fledged criminal. But he sees himself back in his homeland soon, as the Biya regime staggers towards its grave.

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Rita Akana

02.Jan.2018

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Former soccer star George Weah has won Liberia’s presidential run-off election and will succeed incumbent Ellen Johnson Sirleaf next month, the country’s first democratic transition in over 70 years.

With 98.1 percent of the vote counted, Weah led with 61.5 percent to Vice President Joseph Boakai’s 38.5 percent, National Elections Commission Chairman Jerome Korkoyah told reporters in the capital Monrovia on Thursday.

At his party headquarters outside Monrovia, tears streamed down Weah’s face as he greeted supporters from a balcony. Below, hundreds of young people sang and danced to a live performance of Hipco, Liberian hip hop music popular with the country’s impoverished youth.

“Success for George Weah is victory for the whole country,” a 47-year-old engineer named Randall Zarkpah said as he walked home with his young son through streets ringing with honking car horns and loud cheers as dusk fell.

“When you feel sick for some time and you receive proper medication - that is how I feel now. He will be good for our country. He is King George!”

Weah grew up in Clara Town slum in Monrovia and went on to become the only African to win FIFA World Player of the Year, starring for AC Milan, Paris St Germain and Chelsea.

His popularity at home fuelled a previous run for president, in 2005. He won the first round then but lost the second round to Johnson Sirleaf, whom he will now succeed.

His rags-to-riches story helped him tap into dissatisfaction with Johnson Sirleaf’s 12-year tenure. She drew a line under years of civil war but drew criticism for failing to root out corruption or persistent poverty.

“My fellow Liberians, I deeply feel the emotion of all the nation,” Weah wrote on Twitter after the results were announced. “I measure the importance and the responsibility of the immense task which I embrace today. Change is on.”

Weah’s critics, however, say he has offered few concrete policy proposals. His choice of running mate has also raised eyebrows: Jewel Howard-Taylor, the ex-wife of Charles Taylor, a former president of Liberia who is serving 50 years in a British prison for war crimes in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

“I think Weah is not fit for the work. He will see it,” said Anthony Mason, 34, who had huddled around radios at the headquarters of Boakai’s Unity Party for the results.

Weah looked set to sweep 14 of Liberia’s 15 counties in the run-off. Turnout in Tuesday’s vote stood at 56 percent, the election commission said.

Earlier on Thursday, Boakai said he doubted that the vote was “free, fair and transparent”, without elaborating. He did not say whether he might challenge the eventual result.

The second round was delayed by more than a month after the third-place finisher in October’s first round, backed by Boakai, alleged fraud. The Supreme Court ultimately rejected the challenge.

The U.S.-based Carter Center and National Democratic Institute said on Thursday there were notable improvements in the handling of the run-off, echoing positive assessments from other international observers.

Founded by freed U.S. slaves in 1847, Liberia is Africa’s oldest modern republic. But the last democratic transfer of power occurred in 1944, a military coup took place in 1980 and a 14-year civil war ended only in 2003.

Reuters

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Rita Akana

29.Dec.2017

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Mancho Bibixy is said to be critically ill and has been operated upon.The leader of the coffin revolution was driven to a hospital in Yaoundé earlier in the week, reports say.He has been detained in Yaoundé for several months now.

Mr Mancho Bibixy rekindled the struggle last year when he stood in a coffin on a vehicle and rallied people behind him in Bamenda.

Some reports say he was too sick to walk and was transported in a wheelchair.Another source describes the illness as "side pain". Mr Mancho was onced operated upon two years ago.

There are rumours that some Anglophone detainees in Buea have been poisoned.

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Rita Akana

29.Dec.2017

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The elections body, NEC, in its only presser held late Wednesday said it will release provisional results of the presidential runoff today.

This is amidst tonnes of congratulatory messages “affirming” victory for George Weah. Reports also indicate that the camp of vice-president Boakai are also making similar claims. 

“The National Elections Commission (NEC) says it will on Thursday December 28 begin the announcement of provisional results of the 2017 presidential runoff.

“The runoff was held on Tuesday December 26 between VP Joseph Boakai of the UP and Senator George Weah of the CDC. Tallying of votes started today, Tuesday across the country and it is continuing,” the NEC statement added.

Meanwhile, the United Nations chief has deployed former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo to help Liberia in the transition process. 

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Rita Akana

28.Dec.2017

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