Cameroon judicial body backs barring of opposition presidential candidate
The electoral commission in July excluded Kamto from the list of candidates approved to contest the vote. It said Kamto was barred because he was running under the banner of the MANIDEM party, which also supported a second candidate.
Kamto appealed against the decision within the two-day deadline. However, Clement Atangana, President of the Constitutional Council, confirmed the ruling in a decision that cannot be appealed.
Kamto could not be immediately reached for comment.
Human Rights Watch said in a statement last week that the electoral board's decision to exclude Kamto raised concerns about the credibility of the electoral process.
On Monday, dozens of protesters gathered at the entrance of the Constitutional Council to show their support for Kamto but were dispersed by police firing tear gas.
A police commissioner told Reuters on Monday that several people had been detained and remain in custody.
In the last election in 2018, Kamto came in second place with 14% of the vote, while Biya won by a landslide amid allegations of fraud, which he rejected.
Biya, 92, has been in power for 43 years and is the world's oldest serving head of state. He announced his intention last month to seek re-election.
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BBC News
42 minutes ago
- BBC News
No bullying found in Harry charity row, but blame for all sides
There was no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny at the Sentebale charity founded by Prince Harry, the charity regulator has Charity Commission has published its findings into whistleblower allegations that followed a bitter boardroom dispute that saw Prince Harry resigning, along with several trustees, earlier this has imposed no sanctions - and the current leadership, headed by Sophie Chandauka, will remain at the charity which supports young people in southern the commission did criticise "all parties" for allowing a "damaging" dispute to play out publicly - and gave the charity a regulatory action plan to deal with "governance weaknesses". It's a bittersweet outcome for Prince Harry who has left the charity, which his spokesman said had been "deeply personal" to of the criticism from the commission focused on how the internal dispute descended into such a public argument in the media, which it said had damaged the charity's row had seen Prince Harry accused of being a "toxic" brand by the charity's chair Ms Chandauka - and he had stepped down saying his and the trustees' relationship with her was broken "beyond repair" and saying that they had faced "blatant lies"."Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity's ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve," said Charity Commission chief executive David Prince Harry's team welcomed the finding that there had not been evidence of bullying, a spokesman said the report "falls troublingly short" in that the "consequences of the current chair's actions will not be borne by her". The current chair, Ms Chandauka, remains at the head of the charity, with the watchdog finding no reason for her not to continue.A Sentebale spokesman said that the report confirmed that the new trustees had been validly appointed and could move forward "free from interference".Ms Chandauka said the "adverse media campaign" from those who had resigned from the charity had caused "incalculable damage". "We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger," she Charity Commission also said that although there was no evidence of widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir [discrimination against black women], it acknowledged a "strong perception of ill treatment felt by a number of parties" and said it wasn't its role as a regulator to adjudicate on individual claims of commission has not sanctioned any individuals, but its regulatory action plan is meant to address problems such as a lack of clarity over roles and a better mechanism for handling internal warned of "weaknesses in the charity's management" that had added to inquiry highlighted how tensions had risen around a new fundraising strategy in the United States, with some trustees believed to have raised concerns about the charity's action plan warns of the importance of "sufficient funding to enable the charity to deliver for its beneficiaries".The Charity Commission website is still showing Sentebale's financial position from August 2023 - but sources close to the charity say it is in good financial charity had been a very personal project for Prince Harry, which made his resignation even more difficult. Sentebale had been co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, with both honouring the legacies of their mothers. "For 19 years, its dedicated staff and steadfast supporters have provided vital care to over 100,000 young people across southern Africa, including young people living with HIV/Aids and those facing mental health challenges," said a spokesman for Prince Harry's spokesman said the charity had been grown to become a "flowering force for good" and that he will "now focus on finding new ways to continue supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana".Ms Chandauka said: "Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso."The Charity Commission concluded that those running charities should not let disagreements make them forget their initial good intentions and to focus on those they were trying to help."Passion for a cause is the bedrock of volunteering and charity, delivering positive impact for millions of people here at home and abroad every day," said Mr Holdsworth."However, in the rare cases when things go wrong, it is often because that very passion has become a weakness rather than a strength."Moving forward I urge all parties not to lose sight of those who rely on the charity's services."The current trustees must now make improvements and ensure the charity focuses on delivering for those it exists to serve." Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Prince Harry among those criticised in report on dispute at Sentebale charity
The Charity Commission has criticised Prince Harry for allowing a row with the chair of his African charity to 'play out publicly', as the watchdog cleared him of racism. The prince was engaged in a public war of words earlier this year with the chair of the Sentebale charity, Dr Sophie Chandauka, after his resignation as a patron. Harry and the co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, stepped down in March and its trustees quit over a dispute with Chandauka, a lawyer appointed in 2023. After Harry's resignation was made public, Chandauka said she had been subjected to people who 'play the victim card'. She had said that it was a 'story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir [discrimination against black women] – and the cover-up that ensued'. In a ruling on Tuesday in a compliance case into Sentebale, which works with children and young people in southern Africa, the regulator criticised all those involved in the dispute for 'allowing it to play out publicly'. It said the then trustees' failure to resolve disputes internally had 'severely impacted the charity's reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally'. David Holdsworth, the chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: 'Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation, risk[ing] overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity's ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve. 'This case highlights what can happen when there are gaps in governance and policies critical to charities' ability to deliver for their cause. As a result, we have issued the charity a Regulatory Action Plan to make needed improvements and rectify findings of mismanagement.' In response to the report, a spokesperson for Harry, who was not a trustee and established the charity in memory of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, criticised the commission, claiming its report had fallen 'troublingly short'. The commission found that a serious dispute between Chandauka and Harry had followed the formulation of a new fundraising strategy in the US. The breakdown in the relationship had been raised with the commission in February but an investigation was only opened in April after an analysis. The commission did not find evidence of widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir, it said, but acknowledged 'the strong perception of ill treatment felt by a number of parties to the dispute and the impact this may have had on them personally'. It further found no evidence of ''overreach' by either the chair or the Duke of Sussex as patron' but the commission was 'critical of the charity's lack of clarity in delegations to the chair which allowed for misunderstandings to occur'. It said: 'The commission's assessment of the various accounts that have been provided is that all the charity's then trustees contributed to a missed opportunity to resolve issues which led to the dispute. 'The regulator observed that strategic and financial difficulties that had emerged for the charity following the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to the tensions that arose.' A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said: 'Unsurprisingly, the commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale's co-founder and former patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. 'They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current chair. 'Despite all that, their report falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current chair's actions will not be borne by her – but by the children who rely on Sentebale's support. 'Sentebale has been a deeply personal and transformative mission for Prince Harry, established to serve some of the most vulnerable children in Lesotho and Botswana.' A spokesperson for Sentebale said they were pleased with the action plan offered by the commission, which would allow it to 'move forward … free from interference'. Chandauka said: 'The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private. 'We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger: more focused, better governed, boldly ambitious and with our dignity intact. 'Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who established Sentebale in memory of their precious mothers, Princess Diana and Queen 'Mamohato.'
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Boris Johnson hails US plan to deport hundreds of illegal migrants to Rwanda
The US has agreed a deal to deport hundreds of illegal migrants to Rwanda. Washington has already sent an initial list of ten people to be vetted as part of President Donald Trump 's bid to tackle illegal immigration. Under the terms of the deal, Rwanda will accept up to 250 migrants in exchange for payment – in an agreement similar to that brokered by Boris Johnson. When he was prime minister, Mr Johnson agreed a deal with Kigali under which anyone who entered Britain illegally would be sent to Rwanda. But due to legal challenges, no migrants had been successfully deported by the time Keir Starmer won the election last year. Sir Keir's first act as the incoming Labour PM was to scrap the scheme. Since then, small-boat arrivals have increased dramatically. As of July 30, more than 25,000 people had crossed the Channel in small boats in 2025 – a figure about 50 per cent higher than it was at the same point in 2024. Mr Johnson said that Sir Keir had scrapped the scheme out of 'Left-wing spite' and should reinstate it. He told the Daily Mail: 'Here is proof, if ever it were needed, that Starmer was very sadly misguided in abandoning the Rwanda scheme. 'It would certainly have worked and it would have scuppered the cross-Channel gangs. 'It is heartbreaking to see other countries now taking advantage – yet again – of ideas pioneered by Britain. 'Starmer scrapped Rwanda purely out of Left-wing spite – and he should restore it as soon as possible.' The White House has not yet commented. But commenting on the deal yesterday, Kigali said that it would accept migrants under certain conditions and rehome them. 'Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants, in part because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation,' said Rwandan government spokesman Yolande Makolo. 'Under the agreement, Rwanda has the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement. President Donald Trump listens as Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe speaks during a event with Congo's Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, June 27, 2025, in the Oval Office 'Those approved will be provided with workforce training, healthcare and accommodation support to jumpstart their lives in Rwanda, giving them the opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the last decade.' In June, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to deport migrants to third countries, though there are continuing lawsuits. The President has vowed to deport millions of illegal immigrants to third countries. Mr Trump has already struck similar deals with South Sudan and Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. In March, he deported more than 200 Venezuelans accused of being gang members to El Salvador.
