Politics
The Government Delegate of the Kumba City Council, Victor Nkelle Ngoh, was recently chided by the new Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Meme, Chamberlin Ntou'ou Ndong, over the dirty nature of the city.
The SDO feared that the current piles of refuse littered around the metropolis, may trigger a cholera outbreak that may have untold consequences on the population.
Ntou'ou Ndong told the Government Delegate, other mayors, administrative officials and the entire population that they must share in the shame of living in a very dirty city under questionable hygienic conditions.
“Kumba has every resource needed for its development and beauty,” he said.
Ntou’ou Ndong swore that no one would have peace until the city of Kumba is given a facelift in terms of cleanliness.
He said during his stay in Kumba, he has visited the three subdivisions and none is clean.
He castigated the municipal authorities for failing to live up to the expectations of the people whom they are to serve.
Commenting on the administrative accounts of the city council, the SDO lamented that the level of budget realisation and investment do not represent the accounts of a city council.
Kumba City Council budgeted over FCFA 1.8 billion in 2016 but accounts submitted at the session indicate that it realised just over FCFA 800million, representing 46 percent of the budget.
Out of the FCFA 800 million, just a little over 14 percent was used for investment purposes.
In this light, the SDO noted that something is not working right at the City Council in terms of revenue collection. He decried alarming reports of revenue collectors swindling money meant for the treasury of the KCC.
As the administrator jolted those in charge of revenue collection and the municipal treasurer, the SDF grand councillors greeted his pronouncements with deafening ripples of applause.
He charged the treasurer to maintain a firm grip over revenue collectors to block leakages. Besides proffering remedial measures, the administrator expressed the wish to sanction council staff for any form of malpractice especially misappropriation of council funds.
- Details
- Abeh Valery
- Hits: 2546
This is the fifth hearing since the arrest in January and February 2017 of the three Anglophone leaders and 25 others accused persons arrested during the anglohone crisis.
The fifth hearing of the case against Barrister Agbor Balla, Dr Fontem Neba, Mancho Bibixy and others took placed yesterday in Yaounde Military Tribunal. They are being charged with terrorism, rebellion, unlawful assembly, contempt of public officials among others. The case has been further adjourned to June 7, 2017, where probabilities show they will be granted bail.
Sources say the call for amnesty for the Anglophone leaders is as a result of local and international pressures on the government, whose image has been soiled beyond the national territory.
Sources say the President of the General Assembly of Cameroon Bar, Barrister Nico Halle has pleaded for the release of the detainees with a recent call for amnesty from the Head of State. The argument he puts forth is that an amnesty will be the best option rather than a mercy which can only be given after the judgment and which will feature in their judicial files.
Sources say the state prosecutor of the Yaounde military court is proposing a judicial supervision instead of a bail to the detained leaders.
According to the hearing of yesterday, the judge did not rule out or oppose the bail request, but said if granted bail, they will be put 'under judicial monitoring or control'.
However, the court rejected the bail request for the other 25 persons, who were arrested under the same accusations, including Mancho Bibixy.
- Details
- Rita Akana
- Hits: 1814
Dr Felix Nkongho Agbor Balla, Dr Fontem Neba, Mancho Bibixy plus 25 other Anglophones will today be told whether they will be freed or face a death penalty for acts of terrorism, secesion, contempt against the state , propagation of false information amongst other charges. This as their trial resumes at the Military Tribunal.
It will the second time this case is heard since the merging of the Balla-Fontem-Mancho affair and that of 25 other anglophones who were whisked top Yaounde in the heart of the crisis. The defense counsel has been pleading for their clients to grant bail to the leaders and those arrested within the heart of what has today been termed Anglophone crisis, but the court had given a deaf ear.
The argument whether to grant them bail or not was at the centre of discussion last April 27 when the trial took place, it was then that judges decided to adjourn the case for May 24, 2017. Several persons have been calling on the state to release the Anglophones arrested including Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, President of the Bar General Assembly. The detained Anglophones are accused of vandalism, hostility, terrorism, revolution, secession among others.
- Details
- Rita Akana
- Hits: 3046
Despite invasive calls for a massive National Day boycott in Kumba, the May 20th festivities in the Meme Divisional headquarters recorded relative success, as hired, but dreaded Bamileke masquerades dance groups hijack the celebrations.
Using their numerical and commercial strength in the Division, the masquerades dance groups, other women and youth associations and the ever present militants of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) wrestled to submerge the calls for boycott and Ghost Town that were prescribed for the festivities.
However, in spite of their massive turnout at the Kumba Grandstand, the celebration in Memfe this year fell short of its usual pomp and fanfare.
Rumours of the dreaded masquerades dance groups, having been ferried in from the West Region by night by some administrative authorities to swell the marching population for FCFA 35,000 each, spread like wildfire in Kumba.
The masquerades dance groups, a few Government schools and some CPDM militants were the few associations that partook in the march past as the population boycotted the event and religiously respected their Ghost Town calls.
According to reports from Mbonge still in Meme Division, the march-past lasted for less than ten minutes with just a few persons taking part in the exercise. There was no school pupil or student at the Mbonge Municipal Grandstand.
Speaking to reporters after the less than ten minutes march-past, the Divisional Officer (DO) for Mbonge, Simon Sombe, said the non participation of students is because examination classes are focused on their end of year’s GCE examinations.
- Details
- Abeh Valery
- Hits: 2157
The erstwhile President of the Cameroon Bar Council, Barrister Ben Muna, has accused the Biya Government of cultural genocide on Southern Cameroonians.
The legal luminary made the accusations in Yaoundé, May 19, while addressing executives of an international watchdog association called International Crisis Group.
The group, which is on a fact-finding mission in Cameroon bordering on the on-going Anglophone Crisis, paid a curtsey visit to the Barrister’s office.
Citing article 2 of the Geneva Convention, the former National Chairman of the Alliance of Progressive Forces (APF) asserted that the former British Southern Cameroons and French Cameroons voluntarily came together on an equal basis, and that repeated attempts to assimilate Southern Cameroonians is tantamount to cultural genocide.
The lead Counsel for the detained executives of the outlawed Anglophone Civil Society Consortium said the on-going Anglophone Crisis has been triggered by pent-up resentments of decades of marginalisation, poor governance, corruption, nepotism and tribalism.
Barrister Ben Muna told Dr. Richard Moncrieff, Hans de Marie Haungoup, who led the Crisis Group to Cameroon that the Anglophone Crisis remains a potential danger because young Southern Cameroonians, who have never experienced war may lose patience and become cantankerous.
To the politician, the fragile peace which Cameroon enjoys today is thanks to the level-headed and ever patriotic Southern Cameroonians, who have, for close to five decades, refused to pick up arms against a Francophone-dominated Government.
According to him, this non-violence stand taken by the Anglophones was to avoid the gory and bitter experience they led during the 1960s UPC upheavals against the Ahidjo regime.
The human rights advocate prescribed genuine and inclusive dialogue as the only way to get Cameroon out of the current crisis.
“Violence will not help anybody, but will further plunge the country into chaos,” Muna averred.
Dr. Richard Moncrieff and Hans de Marie Haungoup will continue their findings, after which, they will write and present a report to international human rights bodies about the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon.
- Details
- Rita Akana
- Hits: 2902
The president of La Republique signed a series of decrees appointing and dismissing local administrators on Monday.
The message,that was read on the lone state broadcaster CRTV, brought tears and joy to several families.
And what was probably disturbing about it is the fact that most of those who were sent on retirement or fired are as young as the president’s grand children. They certainly got to those positions when Paul Biya had been in power for several years.
Paul Biya who took over from Ahidjo in 1982 is hoping to make miracles by 2035 and make his country an “emerging nation”.
For that reason, he dismisses and retires those who are either too “old”, too weak to think clearly or “unproductive”.
On his part, he is strong, young enough to take the nation to emergence by 2035. Eighty-four years is not a problem.
There is every indication that our “father” does not want to admit that age is also weighing on him. During celebrations marking the National Day in Yaounde at the 20th May Boulevard, there were signs of fatigue on his face.
What is he telling Cameroonians? That he is more intelligent; smarter; stronger and more Cameroonian than everyone else?
A single regime yet several prime ministers have come and gone. More than three decades of “change’. That’s strange.
In fact, if the regime must hold tight to the string of powers, let there be no retirement or dismissal.
- Details
- Rita Akana
- Hits: 8182
Subcategories
Biya Article Count: 73
# Paul Biya and his regime
Explore the political landscape of Cameroon under the rule of Paul Biya, the longest-serving president in Africa who has been in power since 1982. Our Paul Biya and his regime section examines the policies, actions, and controversies of his government, as well as the opposition movements, civil society groups, and international actors that challenge or support his leadership. You'll also find profiles, interviews, and opinions on the key figures and events that shape the political dynamics of Cameroon.
Southern Cameroons Article Count: 549
.# Southern Cameroons, Ambazonia
Learn more about the history, culture, and politics of Ambazonia, the Anglophone regions of Cameroon that have been seeking self-determination and independence from the Francophone-dominated central government. Our Southern Cameroons section covers the ongoing conflict, the humanitarian crisis, the human rights violations, and the peace efforts in the region. You'll also find stories that highlight the rich and diverse heritage, traditions, and aspirations of the Southern Cameroonian people.
Editorial Article Count: 885
# Opinion
Get insights and perspectives on the issues that matter to Cameroon and the world with our opinion section. We feature opinions from our editors, columnists, and guest writers, who share their views and analysis on various topics, such as politics, economy, culture, and society. Our opinion section also welcomes contributions from our readers, who can submit their own opinions and comments. Join the conversation and express your opinions with our opinion section.
