Politics
The controversial Symposium on the Social Actions of the First Lady Chantal Biya has come and gone, and the coming days, weeks,months or years, will certainly reveal the mask behind this symposium, that had so many opposing points of views, as thosewho see beyond today, saw theCOVERED IDEAbehind this.
Top intellectuals, Politicians and even University Authorities were fighting for and against this event, which according to the opposition it was just a waste of resources, because similar actors like Chantal Biya have come, performed and gone unnoticed without loud applauds.The Symposium amidst every controversy finally kicked off on Tuesday Nov.1 2016, and closed its curtains on Wednesday Nov. 3 2016 at the University of Yaounde 2 Soa Campus.
Participants debated solely on the different social activities and involvements of the First Lady, wife of President Paul Biya, from Her Chantal Biya Foundation, to her Chantal Biya International Reference Center, to CERAC Group, to being UNESCO's Ambassador of Good Will, to African Synergies, to being a devoted mother and wife etc.. heaping pile of praises to whom praise was already due.
The Symposium that called her 'Mother Teresa of Cameroon' was filled with litanies of praises in her honour, and during the second dayof its activities, participants quoted Max Weber,his ideology about Social actions, his inspirations and political involvement, all these to announce the birth of a new philosophical doctrine called "Chantalism Biyalism", which will henceforth be instituted in all Cameroonian universities.
At the end of the Chantal Biya's laudations, the participants concluded on a proposal that Government should attribute a New Legal Status to the First Lady,and if this proposal is adopted by the government, it will be sent to the National Assembly for a Constitutional Modification.
An Honorary Degree was to be awarded to the First Lady, in compensation for all her charitable actions carried out in and outside Cameroon with the people's money.The Symposium whose organization budget of 65 Million F CFA came out from the Public Treasury, ended on a very satisfactory note, to the participants, who were none other than Government Authorities, Political Scientists, Legal Practitioners, Economists, Sociologists, Internationalists and other Top University Officials.
Cameroontoday
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Cameroon's biggest business manof all time and father of Camair's one time General Manager Yves Michel Fotso serving a double life sentence imprisonment at the Kondengui Central Prison has asked Cameroonians to pray for Cameroon.Comrade Fotso Victor was speaking during an ecumenical service, marking the end of the installation ceremony of the Section Bureau of the Cameroon People Democratic Movement (CPDM) in the Western Region on Oct. 29th 2016.
"We must pray for our country Cameroon because we neither know the day nor the time". The Lord of the Bandjoun people preached severally during his speech at the service.
Meanwhile the other preachers during the service kept insisting on the fact that 'the misfortunes befalling our country are the consequences of our actions'. The men of God called on all present to beg forgiveness from God, on behalf of the victims of the Eseka rail accident of Oct. 21st."Time has come for us to read the signs of time. Let us ask Guidance from God so that our leaders can guarantee the Liberty and Peace to the people ". The main Preacher concluded.
Victor Fotso has been even more faithful to the Biya's Flame party than ever before, despite the plight of his son Yves Michel Fotso, he still hasn't said NO to Biya.
Cameroontoday
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Sunday, November 6th 2016- In Cameroon, regime supporters celebrate this November 6, 2016, which is the 34th anniversary of the accession to power of President Paul Biya.
For the festivities of 2016, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), the ruling party, organized this Sunday, a series of meetings across the country to celebrate the"out of touch president" a man of 83 years, including 34 at the head of the state and more than fifty years in the corridors of power in Cameroon. In October 1962 Biya was already Head of Mission at the Presidency of the Republic.
On the occasion, delegations led by party cadres are sent into deep Cameroon for giant mobilizations in place of Paul Biya, who remains locked in his presidential palace.
Mr Biya was a loyal prime minister for seven years, until 1982 - when in a surprise move Mr Ahidjo resigned from office and named Mr Biya president.
Mr Ahidjo held on to the chairmanship of the ruling party, thinking it was a more powerful position than that of president.
But this was when Mr Biya pounced - purging Ahidjo loyalists and eventually forcing the independence leader into exile.
He then proved himself a survivor - foiling two attempted coups, one in 1983 and another a year later.
Mr Biya has said he wants to be remembered for bringing democracy to Cameroon.
He finally gave in to pressure to end the one-party system and in 1992 held and won the country's first multiparty elections with only 40% of the vote - amid allegations of fraud.
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The remains of two Cameroonian soldiers killed by Boko Haram were decorated in Maroua on Friday, by the Governor of the Far North Region,Midjiyawa Bakari.
Caporal Ngafdigang Joseph and Halilou Ismael Benson were both posthumously raised to the rank of Bravery in the Cameroonian military.
The Friday, 4th of November 2016 ceremony was to pay tributes to the soldiers who gave the supreme sacrifice in the fight against terrorism and attended by four army Generals among them was the Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force.
The Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force said the demise of the two soldiers gives more encourage to the military expedition to completely flush out the terrorists. He added terrorist have been rounded up within a small area.
Cameroontoday
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Member of CPDM Central Committee.
What assessment can you make of the stewardship of the New Deal 34 years on?
As a Cameroon national that I am and one that has been at the forefront of political evolution of this country, particularly after the first republic, I think the New Deal government under the leadership of the distinguished President Paul Biya, who is a committed Cameroonian, has achieved so much. These achievements can be categorized in all the developmental programmes that he has had, be it in social, educational, infrastructural which includes roads, telecoms, stadiums, hydro-electric dams, hospitals amongst others. Again, across the periphery of Cameroon, he has shown that he wants even development. In terms of achievements in diplomacy, he has become a mentor even to most African leaders. A mentor in the way he manages the State with peace and order. Cameroon has become an enviable State as far as peace and national concord is concern. These are qualities that are rare in a proper leadership. His tackling of worrying issues like insurgency of some pockets of people who call themselves Boko Haram as he tries to ensure that he wipes them off from his territory and even more so going into alliance with other countries and the world to make sure that we do not harbour people who are there to destabilise the country. I think that we have achieved much under the leadership of President Paul Biya. In a nutshell, President Biya’s New Deal government has been progressing steadily, surely and in the right direction. Of course more is in stock with the envisaged national developmental agenda dubbed “Vision 2035”.
Some critics say the achievements are not enough in 34-year rule of the New Deal. What is your opinion on that?
When critics say “achievements are not enough” how do they quantify it? Where do they start and where do they end? Is it in terms of development of ports, schools, building hospitals? I will say that on the contrary, the New Deal government has done much. The country cannot be developed in a day. Even countries that we call advanced nations today took hundreds of years to attain the level they are now. So we will not say that the New Deal government has done nothing or that what it has done is immeasurable; I say no. The New Deal government is following a planned agenda and it’s progressing.
The New Deal has in the recent past embarked on the construction of structural projects like the dams, the deep sea port amongst others. Do you think that these projects constructed with loans will have a trickledown effect on the wellbeing of the population?
Naturally, the trickledown effect will be enormous on the population. Economic projects of that nature attract many other avenues of development which can transform the whole human life because they create opportunities for employment. In fact, all over the world, it is the private people who set up business in conformity with the law that creates jobs. Of course, the projects like the Kribi Deep Seaport, Memvele and Lom Panga dams amongst others are pillars for development. These are projects that show that the New Deal government is out to transform human lives and it’s doing that properly.
At 34, the New Deal has faced many challenges. What is your appraisal of the handling of these challenges?
Every regime in the world even in most developed countries has challenges of different dimensions and of course Cameroon is not an exception. Naturally, we are bound to have challenges, be it economic, political, social or diplomatic etc. But with maturity and vision, President Biya has been able to handle these challenges with the support of the nation. Take for example the settling of the border dispute of Bakassi Peninsular in the South West Region and the war against Boko Haram in the Far North Region. You can see that there is national concord in anything that we do. Cameroonians are not people who just go out because they want to demonstrate. They do things in a mature and orderly manner. I think that this should continue in the years to come.
The principle of rigour and moralisation that marked the beginning of the New Deal seems to have been abandoned. What explanation can you give to that?
I don’t think it has been abandoned. If it was abandoned, then why are people behind bars? In fact, when President Paul Biya came up with the principle during his inaugural speech in 1982, people did not know the importance and how far-reaching that statement was. But now, they are seeing it. The truth is coming out. It has now created more awareness among people on management techniques and financial management of public funds and unfortunately for some of our compatriots, who found themselves trapped by the legal net for misappropriation of public funds.
What does the future hold for Cameroon with the New Deal?
The New Deal has set up a platform and principles which should be a tradition now for Cameroonians to know that we have to work as one and indivisible Cameroon. We should know that our destiny is in our hands. So we have to follow the economic programme for the development of our nation. I think that whenever the New Deal may hand over government to in future should preserve that power. Of course, CPDM working now for the New Deal, we want to preserve it and preserving it means that the programme we have in hand now, is executed to its logical end. If it ends, it creates another stage for continuation. There is the need for people to have a spirit of oneness, peace and harmony and I think people are conscious of that.
HRM Nfor Senator Tabe Tando: “The New Deal government is out to transform human lives and it’s doing that properly”.
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Cameroon has one of the most liberal press in Africa and the most fearful citizens in the world. When I read reports that the media is "not free or partly free," I weep. It is very free. I may only argue that the cost of production for reporters is high and that the broadcast licenses are exorbitant for the private stations.
But come to think of it. The last time a journalist was ever arrested or molested was this year. And investigate keenly. They had either been under a controversial lawsuit or had played rough with some authorities. And their arrest lasted only hours before the media could talk much about it.
The most critical media in Cameroon have headquartered 30 minutes away from the Presidency and one minute away from the Presidential Guard headquarters. But none of their reporters has ever been arrested for writing any hard article against the gangster regime. They are free to write as the like and publish what they want. In fact, I am a regular columnist for one of Cameroon's most critical and widely read English-speaking Newspapers, The Guardian Post.
You see if you did not pose any security threat to the gangster regime, or investigate sects or whatever thing perceived as "dangerous" for the people in power, you are as free as a freedom. Most often, even elites pardon libelous works or defamatory statements. No prolific media can claim absolute neutrality on that, and the regime knows it.
When people say Tapang are you not afraid, I laugh. Afraid of who? Did I embezzle? Did I steal money like some gangster ministers and put in Western treasuries? Did I ever hold a public office? Did I ever investigate the private lives of people? When has critiquing public management become a crime? In fact, they should be glad that I give them proposed solutions freely without the need for hiring my services.
It is your inalienable right to talk as citizens and exercise your civic and political liberties. Biya is not a fool to allow more than 600 registered political parties and more than 500 newspapers up and running in the country. He is not a fool to allow more than 20 TV stations and 100 radio stations running in the country. And note that among these liberal press, only one private TV station is operating on a license.
Well, I regularly visit Cameroon and my when the police see me, they offer me, one man. All through my life, before July 2015, I was in Cameroon. It is, however, very peaceful and loving. The only problem is poverty that silences people from talking and a gangster regime that deliberately allows angry people to freely express their views and feel satisfied. Sometimes when you have an angry wife, don't exchange words with her. Allow her to express and shout out her views. Then she will calm down. Did I make some sense?
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- Tapang Ivo
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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.
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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.
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