Politics
Two Cameroonian gendarmes were reportedly killed on Wednesday morning during an attack by the Boko haram insurgents in Sagmé in the Logone and Chari region of northern Cameroon.
This attack comes barely two days after a previous deadly assault in which the insurgents attacked an internally displaced persons’ camp in Nigeria, killing at least three persons and injuring seventeen others, just hours before attacking a military post in Cameroon on Monday morning.Two soldiers lost their lives in the Monday attack as a military post in Gloudjan, in the Mayo-Sava department in the country’s far north, came under attack.
Cameroonian newspaper, L’Oeil du Sahel, first reported the attack.
Boko Haram has increased attacks in Nigeria and Cameroon in recent months, leaving many people dead and raising questions about claims by authorities in both countries that the terrorists had been defeated.
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- Rita Akana
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The decision by the Government Delegate to the Douala City Council, Dr Fritz Ntone Ntone, to construct a monument in memory of Cameroon’s independence martyr, Ruben Um Nyobe, has been received with mixed feelings by denizens of Douala.
Many fear that reawakening the memorise of a rebel leader like Um Nyobe may triggered anti-French sentiments in the Littoral Region and send the population on rampage, especially at a time when anti-French sentiments in the Region are surging.
Many people in Douala have recently been very vocal about the French, blaming them for remote-controlling Cameroon through Paul Biya.
They have also accused the French of the poor governance policy in Cameroon and for Biya’s indifference in the ongoing Anglophone Crisis.
According to them, the French are maintaining Biya in power to better serve their interest and not that of Cameroonians.
With the recent anti-French resentments, many Douala denizens feared that erecting the monument of Um Nyobe, the pioneer National President of Cameroon’s oldest political party (UPC created in 1948), and a freedom fighter who was killed in 1959 by the French colonial army because of his anti-French resentment and his stand for a united and indivisible Cameroon may awaken such sentiments among the population.
The Government Delegate said the monument will cost FCFA 15 million.
Ntone Ntone also said the monument will be erected at ‘Mobile Njoh Njoh’.
Meanwhile, there have been repeated calls over the years by UPC militants for Government to construct monuments in memory of those who fought for Cameroon’s independence like King Rudolphe Douala Manga Bell, who sacrificed his life fighting against illegal occupation and exploitation of land by the French.
A renowned UPC political activist, Mboua Massock, has repeatedly insisted that it is insulting that monuments of French colonial masters like Generals Le Clerc and Charles de Gaulle were erected at the administrative headquarters in Bonanjo at the detriment of nationals.
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- Rita Akana
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The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), Ni John Fru Ndi, has told a United Nations visiting mission to Cameroon to advice President Paul Biya for the umpteenth time to release all detained Anglophones or the country will disintegrate.
The SDF Chieftain told the UN visiting mission that he should not be held responsible for anything if the country is plunged into a deadly civil war.
“Biya has snubbed all calls for him to release Anglophone detainees held in Yaounde prisons. The situation is fuelling a lot of resentments in the Anglophone Regions. If the UN thinks that it can’t interfere in the internal affairs of a country, it should not intervene when war breaks out ….”
Fru Ndi, was speaking to the visiting UN delegation to Cameroon, led by UN Electoral and Political Affairs Assistant, Pascale Roussy, and Francis Nadjita, UN Special Representative for Central Africa.
During the meeting, the SDF officials and the UN delegation also discussed conditions for credible elections in Cameroon.
To the SDF Chairman, “the text creating ELECAM is so ambiguous and has set confusion between the body’s top notches. The Chairman of the Electoral Board and the President of Elections do not even know what their obligations and limitations are. Quiet often, the two are confused and that is when conflict sets in. You cannot have two bosses who are always confused on who is supposed to do what,” Fru Ndi remarked.
Meanwhile, the head of the UN visiting delegation said they have not come with a bag of solutions to Cameroon’s electoral woes, but to gather information and see how the UN team can support Cameroon Government and ELECAM, together with electoral stakeholders to better organise next year’s, elections.
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- Abeh Valery
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Southwest Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai, has placed the new Fako Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) Emmanuel Engamba Ledoux, on tenterhooks over the activities of the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC).
Governor Okalia Bilai told Ledoux that SCNC activists are planning to strike Cameroon from Nigeria as such; the SDO must be vigilant and galvanised security forces to quell any such attacks.
The South West Chief Executive Officer was speaking in Limbe recently, while commissioning the new SDO into his function.
After cautioning the SDO about the impending SCNC attack, the Governor handed over the files of a decade long unresolved Limbe Paramount Chieftaincy Crisis to the new Fako SDO.
The file, which the Governor handed over to Ledoux was the same file that was handed over to him (Okalia) when he was appointed Fako SDO in July, 2007.
But Okalia departed Fako without resolving the problem. Even his numerous successors were afraid to dabble into deadly chieftaincy crisis in Limbe.
Since the demise of the late Paramount Chief of Limbe, Chief Ferguson Manga Williams, the royal family has been unable to designate a new successor to occupy the vacant Paramount stool.
Because of the volatile nature of the problem, the Governor admonished the new SDO to use his sense of wisdom and spirit of good judgment to hold consultative talks with the Kingmakers of Buea and Limbe Paramount Chiefdoms, so that new chiefs would be designated to occupy these long vacant stools.
“Your Division is also known as a village where chieftaincy disputes or ascending to chieftaincy stools baffles all reasons. Potentially, everyone here is ready to mislead you and make you their scapegoat, after attaining their objectives,” Okalia said.
He urged the new SDO to steer clear of those who will come just to derail him.
He further urged him to do his utmost best to work towards the development of the Division and avoid being misled.
Okalia further beseeched Ledoux to work closely with the people “because you will face both threat from SCNC and those you administer. Always remember that I am here to help and guard you,” he said.
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- Abeh Valery
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The Biya Government has begun erecting surveillance cameras in strategic positions in the North West and South West Regions in a bid to unmask more Anglophones who embark on any strike action.
The towering cameras are carefully implanted at road junctions, markets, motorcar parks, schools and major streets.
The installation of the street security cameras comes barely months after the Governor of the Southwest Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, confessed during a meeting that Government was tapping into people’s private phone conversations and is keeping track of whatever thing they say.
He also boasted that he has compiled a blacklist of people who have already been found wanting due to the conversation they had with others in private.
Hear him: “I have a blacklist, and if I read 10 names here, at least three people sitting in this meeting will feature in there.”
In the wake of the phone tapping confession, some individuals also complained that their social media accounts have been hacked, blocked and even suspended.
The installation of street cameras has been criticised by many, who do not see it as a means of solving the Anglophone Crises.
Tongues are already wagging that the cameras have been installed by the forces of law and order to uncover crime in strategic areas, especially as the burning down of schools, public buildings and business premises of those who refuse to respect Ghost Town calls in the two English-speaking Regions of Cameroon surges.
“We have been begging Government to install street lights in our town to fight rising insecurity to no avail; instead they have come with surveillance cameras to be watching our every move. How will this help the population? Are thieves stealing on the streets?” an inhabitant of Buea stated.
In the North West Regional capital of Bamenda, the cameras are erected everywhere.
According to a cap driver, “we know what they are doing, we know the cameras very well, although they are made to look like street lights...this Government is funny, instead of solving problems, they want to hide and spy on everyone”.
The driver, who refused to be named, further said, “I move around town carrying and dropping people, I have seen many of the Cameras and I wonder why the Government can take huge sums of money to buy equipment like that and spy on its citizens.”
Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts by this reporter to have the administrative and security authorities comment on the cameras, all of them maintain sealed lips.
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- Abeh Valery
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CPDM youths have beseeched their National Chairman, Paul Biya, to rescue them from yawning unemployment and heavy taxes.
They were speaking in Mbonge during a party conference convened by the Section President, Senator Andrew Otte Mofa.
According to the youths, heavy taxes are sending hundreds of youth out of business.
“The numerous would certainly push some of us into activities which are not accepted in the society.”
The youths acknowledged the importance of taxes to the Government, but pleaded that the tax drive could be done with reservation, regarding the situation of things in the Anglophone Regions.
“The unending challenges youths go through sometimes account for the disdain which some of us develop in the activities of our party.
Despite all these challenges, we have remained patriotic to the activities of the party.”
The youths saluted the President resolve to sustain Cameroon's cultural identity and unity through the creation of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism and the steps which President Biya has taken to resolve the Anglophone Crisis and the Boko Haram attacks in the Northern Regions of Cameroon.
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- Rita Akana
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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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.# 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.
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