- Cameroonian President, Paul Biya, has raised alarms that the violent protests in his country was meant to dislodge his government from power.
In a state address on national television, President Biya squarely blamed what he called "apprentice witches" for injecting Cameroonian youths to destabilise the country. He said perpetrators of the bloody protests wanted to achieve what they could not at the polls.
So far, 15 people have reportedly died in protests which cut across the country's major cities, including the capital Yaoundé.
President Biya wondered why a mere strike by transport workers should turn political. He said by all means any attempt to dislodge his government from power would fail because "every possible means would be used to restore law and order."
And as such, he said people should expect a heavy toll on human life and property.
Cameroonian opposition members said they supported the protests, although they had no hands in them. They questioned why fuel prices continues to rise at an alarming rate in a country that produces oil.
Dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed in the Central African country.
A strike by taxi drivers turned bloody after thousands of Cameroonians joined the fray, demonstrating anger over the government's hatched plans to tamper the constitution so that President Paul Biya contests for the 2011 elections.
Mr Biya, whose current term expires in three years time, has ruled Cameroon for 26 years. In his New Year's speech, the President said an amendment of the constitution was in tandem with Cameroonians' desire to see him back in office after his mandate expires.
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