00:07Population movements in Cameroon's far north, days after the latest deadly Boko Haram attack.
00:18In Morocco, after taking to the streets, Gen Z is now preparing to make its voice heard at the ballot
00:24box in Wednesday's legislative elections.
00:29He dreamed of cycling across the region to promote peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
00:34Congolese cyclist Miguel Masaysay died on Friday in a road accident.
00:41Hello and welcome to Africa News Today.
00:44In Cameroon's far north, insecurity is driving a new wave of displacement.
00:49Following a Boko Haram-linked attack that left 15 people dead,
00:53thousands of residents are fleeing towards border towns, raising fears of another humanitarian crisis.
00:59By track and on foot, entire families are arriving in the town of Waza, before taking shelter in one of
01:05the local schools.
01:06These families, now in their thousands, have fled more than 10 villages around Makari and Maduga,
01:13following retaliatory attacks allegedly carried out by suspected terrorists, which have left 14 people dead.
01:24Boko Haram forced us to leave our villages.
01:27They come to kill us and take our belongings.
01:29We are overwhelmed to the point that we have to guard the village from 6pm until 5am.
01:41Families say they've neither been approached or assisted by local authorities, while women and children have reportedly gone days without
01:48food,
01:49raising fears of another humanitarian crisis.
01:51There are thousands of children and women who have been here since Thursday until today, Sunday.
01:59They have had nothing to eat or drink and have received no support from the state.
02:03We have no food and no water.
02:09As attacks intensify, Waza has seen a massive influx of displaced people since September 17th.
02:17Public spaces and schools across the town have been overwhelmed by families in need, according to a local health official.
02:26They abandoned their villages and all their belongings.
02:29Some came by motorcycle, others on foot and on tricycles to reach Waza.
02:34They arrived here terrified, sleeping in the open air, without any security or food assistance at the place where they
02:41currently are.
02:49More than 300 displaced people also arrived in the city of Maroura overnight.
02:55Crisis meetings have been underway since Monday morning within the offices of the Governor of the Far North Region to
03:02determine an emergency response.
03:09In Morocco, young people are at the centre of Wednesday's legislative elections.
03:14The vote is being closely watched as the first since deadly Gen Z protests in late 2025.
03:21Young Moroccans are now turning to the ballot box to make their voices heard.
03:27As Morocco readies for Wednesday's parliamentary elections, all eyes are on young voters.
03:34These are the first elections since youth-led protests spread across the country in late 2025.
03:43Now, some of the protesters are running for office.
03:49These political parties, the government and all the components of Morocco are the best and most creative thing humanity has
03:57achieved.
03:58We don't have a problem with the political parties or with the government, but we must look for where the
04:04problem lies.
04:05To solve the problem, we young people must participate strongly and in large numbers.
04:13According to official data, more than a third of young Moroccans are unemployed, almost three times the country's overall rate.
04:21The protests also called for better public services and an end to corruption.
04:29As a young person who previously took part in the Gen Z protests, I can't say that I have a
04:35lot of hope.
04:37But there is hope that the next government will launch projects that will enable us to achieve our basic demands,
04:45especially health, education and a decent life.
04:51This summer, tens of thousands of young Moroccans crossed into the Spanish enclave of Syrta, hoping to find a better
04:59life.
05:00But most soon returned home disillusioned.
05:06The decision to migrate came from a search for freedom and new cultures and to be able to develop myself
05:13and find new opportunities.
05:15But I faced difficulties in Syrta.
05:18We experienced a state of emergency during the first three days.
05:22We had no food and no place to sleep.
05:24While some former protesters are turning to the ballot box, many young people are still on the sidelines.
05:33Moroccans aged 18 to 24 account for some 12% of the population, but make up just 4% of
05:41registered voters.
05:43He was cycling to deliver a message of peace for eastern DR Congo.
05:48But his journey was brought to a tragic end.
05:51Congolese cyclist Miguel Masaisai died on Friday in a road accident in the Congolese city of Ueso.
05:57He had set off from Goma and hoped to reach Rabat after a 14,000-kilometer journey.
06:04Goma is mourning the death of a 23-year-old cyclist Miguel Masaisai, whose family home has been filled with
06:11relative friends and acquaintances, paying tribute since news of his death on Friday.
06:17Masaisai died in a road accident in the Republic of Congo while traveling towards Rabat, Morocco, the final destination of
06:24his journey.
06:26It is deeply sad to see that we have lost a brother, a young man who was so active and
06:33committed. It is truly painful for us young people.
06:38A passionate athlete and prominent figure on social media, Masaisai dedicated his latest journey to promoting peace.
06:44His project, Cycling for Peace, took him across several African countries carrying a message of hope.
06:52He represented the DRC in many competitions, especially swimming and running, and he had been doing so for a long
06:59time.
07:00This is not something he studied today. We have several trophies here at home that he won in Kenya, Ethiopia
07:06and elsewhere.
07:10According to a video shared on social media, Masaisai had been forced to board a taxi after his bicycle broke
07:17down.
07:17The vehicle was later involved in a crash, reportedly killing all the passengers.
07:22He had already completed almost half of his planned route.
07:29Since Miguel finished second school, we were members of the same club.
07:33He taught me many things, including swimming and cycling.
07:37I shared so much with him and with the whole club. It hurts me deeply.
07:44In recent years, Masaisai had transformed his passion for cycling into a campaign for peace.
07:50Through social media posts, he documented his journey, the stages he completed and the people he met along the way.
07:57In Goma, his trophies now stand as reminders of his sporting achievements.
08:03And as every week on African News Today, here are some of the key events to watch in the days
08:08ahead.
08:09First, New York takes center stage in international diplomacy.
08:14At the United Nations, African leaders will seek to put the continent's priorities at the heart of discussions on some
08:21of the world's biggest challenges.
08:26A key moment for justice in the Central African Republic.
08:30The International Criminal Court is due to deliver its verdict in the trial of Mahamad Saeed Abdelkani, an alleged former
08:37commander of the Seleka rebel group.
08:39He is accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in Bangui in 2013.
08:46A highly anticipated visit by Pope Leo XIV. The trip will focus on dialogue and peace, marking an important moment
08:55in the pontificate and drawing attention from Catholic communities around the world.
09:02A crucial vote in São Tomé and PrÃncipe. Voters are heading to the polls in general elections, governance, the economy
09:10and living conditions are among the main concerns for voters in an election that could reshape the country's political landscape.
09:18And finally, Nouakchot is turning to financial innovation.
09:23The Mauritanian capital is hosting the Fintech Mauritania Hackathon, bringing together young innovators to develop digital solutions tailored to the
09:33country's needs.
09:34The goal is to accelerate the transformation of Mauritania's financial sector.
09:42That's the end of Africa News Today. Join us next week for another edition.
09:46For the latest news, stay with Africa News and visit Africanews.com.
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