This is the deafening noise of vuvuzelas from thousands of football fans outside Yaoundé's 42,000-seat Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium. The vuvuzela is a long horn blown by fans to support their teams at matches.
Among the fans is Sylvie Dinyuy, a 21-year-old university student. Dinyuy says COVID-19 restrictions imposed by organizers of the Africa Football Cup of Nations make it impossible for her and her peers to get into the stadium to support African Football.
"I have been blocked because I have not done my COVID-19 test and I have not been vaccinated. I would have loved to watch the Morocco Comoros match at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium.
Dinyuy and football fans outside the stadium say but for COVID-19, thousands of people would have been present in stadiums to support African men's soccer as they did when
In 2016, the
This year, the confederation said only fans who show proof that they have received COVID-19 vaccines and proof of negative COVID-19 test results no more than 24 hours old will be allowed into stadiums.
Cameroonian football officials say strict COVID-19 measures make it impossible for fans to have access to the stadiums.
Bafoussam hosts pool B AFCON matches. Augustine Awah Fonka is governor of
"During the first match, they did not know certain entry conditions," he said. "This time around, everybody is sensitized, and everybody is mobilized and prepared to watch these great encounters. Tickets are already available at the various sales points, so the populations are invited to go there and obtain their tickets."
Awah said, as an incentive, the government is providing free transportation to stadiums for people who are vaccinated and show proof of negative COVID-19 test results. He said Cameroonian Prime Minister
Before the tournament began on
The ministry says fewer than 5% of its targeted 16 million people have been vaccinated.
In addition, separatists have vowed to disrupt the games in Buea and Limbe, both English-speaking towns hosting football fans, players and match officials for group matches for teams from
Last Week,
The military said separatists increased attempts to infiltrate Limbe and disrupt the games. It says separatists frustrated over their inability to disrupt
However, the government says troops will protect all civilians threatened by separatists over attending matches.
The government says civilians should turn out en masse for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations so they can watch matches and that civilians in English-speaking towns should help the military by reporting intruders who want to see stadiums empty.
Copyright Voice of America. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source