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African press review 3 October 2018

Cameroon's Presidential hopefuls enter last stretch of campaigning ahead of Sunday's landmark vote.

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We begin in Cameroon where the papers are all about hectic campaigns ahead of the October 7 Presidential elections. The state-owned

Cameroon Tribune reports from the regions where its correspondents file minute by minute campaign news.

A key innovation of interest to the official daily are the colourful electoral gadgets are on display to woe voters ahead of Sunday's landmark vote.

Cameroon Tribune's special Elections Campaign Gazette carries the slogans of all the nine candidates starting from the incumbent President Biya whose campaign showcases the strength of his 36-year experience in office.

According to the publication, the 38 year-old Cabral Libi hopes to capitalize on his young age to energize his electorate, Garga Haman Adji on his humanistic vision for Cameroon.

Cameroon Tribune also highlights Akere Muna's project of Hope for prosperity, social justice and solidarity in Cameroon, Maurice Kamto's "Together it is possible", Joshua Osih's "for a better Cameroon", and Adamu Ndam Njoya's "All for Cameroon" political Manifesto.

The Cameroon.Info.net electronic newspaper leads with news that ace Cameroon footballer Samuel Eto'o declared his support for President Biya during a trip to Yaoundé on Tuesday.

The paper says the former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker was a member of a delegation which accompanied African football chief Ahmad Ahmad on a mediation trip to Yaoundé to clarify the body's position with regard to the planned hosting of the next Cup of African Nations tournament in Cameroon.

Cameroon Info.Net has a video of the CAF President reiterating after an audience with President Paul Biya that his organization still plans to host the 2019 tournament in Cameroon and does not have a B plan.

According to Ahmad a venue change would only be an issue for consideration if Cameroon opts out of its hosting of the tournament and duly informs the African Football consideration of Yaoundé’s decision.

In Kenya, Daily Nation investigates a tense back-and-forth between allies of Deputy President William Ruto and those of ODM leader Raila Odinga which reach a new level on Monday, when ruling Jubilee party leaders asking Odinga to “stop pretending to be a co-president.”

The paper reports that ruling party chieftains close to Vice President William Ruto express anger about Odinga and his Orange Democratic Movement are using the March 9 handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta, to “undermine the Deputy President.”

“The details of this handshake between Uhuru and Odinga which ushered in a working arrangement between the President and the Opposition leader have still not be revealed.

According to Daily Nation the dispensation is causing new anxieties with the ruling party about the succession mechanism when President Kenyatta steps down at the end of his current term.

The paper reports that last Sunday, Deputy President William Ruto has accused opposition leader Raila Odinga of plotting to divide Jubilee Party through the handshake.

Mr. Odinga is using his handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta to bring "conmanship, confusion and hypocrisy" he said according to the newspaper.

And in South Africa, Mail and Guardian tells it all about a notorious spyware program sold only to governments that has been discovered in the country.

The paper says that electronic devices infected with Pegasus, and developed by Israeli cyber warfare firm NSO Group, has been used to target journalists and human rights activists across the world.

Mail and Guardian says the report titled ‘Hide and Seek’ was released on Monday, a Canada based internet watchdog titled Citizen Lab.

It reportedly identified 45 countries in which infected devices have been traced, after scanning the internet for servers associated with Pegasus spyware. Citizen Lab also identified multiple instances of cross-border surveillance.

Twelve African countries are on the list, according to M&G, including South Africa, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Rwanda, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.

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