Politics
At about 4am July 7, prison guards stormed the cells hosting leaders of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium Leaders in the Kondengui Principal Prison in Yaounde.
Barrister Felix Agbor Balla NKongho and Dr Fontem Aforteka’a Neba were taken unawares when the wardens barged into their cells, ransacking them and confiscating valuables. We gathered the prison guards seized all communication gadgets they found in both jail cells and equally took away all money they found therein.
We also gathered the consortium leaders have been under lock and key since July 7. Visits are said to have been curtailed and the few visitors who are privileged to be given access to the duo, are thoroughly searched down to their underwear. The visitors are allowed to speak with the inmates only in the presence of a multitude of prison guards, we learned.
Sources say the raid on the jail cells was carried out following instructions from the Ministry of Justice. Our source posited government could be trying to look for evidence to use in the on-going trial at the Yaounde Military Tribunal, of the consortium leaders and 71 other Anglophone detainees.
It is alleged the confiscated material were taken to the ‘Department for External Research commonly known by its French language abbreviation DGRE. The security facility beside the Yaounde Municpal Lake is said to be investigating the alleged crimes of the Anglophone detainees. Fears are rife the Consortium leaders may be transferred to secret detention centres of the facility where detainees are said to be tortured and locked up in unmarked poorly ventilated cells.
We also learned last Friday’s raid was not limited to the consortium leaders. Jailed RFI journalist, Ahmed Abba, former mayor of Kolofata, Maitre Harrisou, a certain pastor and four other detainees were reportedly subjected to the same treatment.
It should be recalled that Barrister Felix Agbor Kongho and Dr Fontem Neba were arrested on Tuesday January 17 in Buea and transferred overnight to Yaounde where they were detained in the dungeons of the gendarmerie headquarters for two days. They were transferred to the Kondengui Principal Prison January 20 and were later on charged by the military tribunal with terrorism, rebellion, insurrection, revolution among other related offences. They face a death penalty if found guilty.
Many other Anglophones, including journalists arrested for allegedly committing crimes during the on-going protests against marginalisation of minority English-speaking Cameroonians, are yet to be charged. Such is the case with Atia Tilarious of The Sun newspaper, Amos Fofung of The Guardian Post and Mofor Ndong of Voice of the Voiceless newspaper arrested in Buea on February 9 and transferred to Yaounde. Others include Suh Funwi Paul Vincent, arrested on March 31st, Acha Constantine, Nyalum Gilbert, Nyombella Valery, Atanga Celestine,Mbuh Rene, Rev Fr Andrew Ambeazieh and Nche Benjamin.
Critics are wondering why Government will resort to such crude moves if it is confident it has a good case against the Anglophone leaders.
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It wouldn't be an over statement to affirm that Ngoketunjia division in the north west region, is a fertile ground for inter-tribal violence.Babessi village and Mambim ( a small quarter within the Babessi village which harbours some Bamoun minority) both in the said division, have been in a fierce battle over a peace of farm land since the morning of June 10th 2017. Eye witness account hinted Cameroon Concord that, even though no casualty in human live has been recorded, houses, cars and lots of other valuable properties have been set ablaze in Mambim as inhabitants took to their heels to seek refuge in Fon Chafah's palace in Bangolan. Sources close to Fon Chafah confirmed to us that, the senior magistrate and alternate senator has enjoined his notables in Bangolan to give proper care to all who fled from the confrontation and took refuge in his palace. Our informant also made it known to us that fon Chafah and the fon of Babessi have engaged peaceful negotiations while waiting for the administration of la Republique to open investigations.
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Before he was sent on retirement by President Paul Biya in his July 3 Presidential decree, appointing, transferring and retiring Senior Divisional Officers (SDOS) in Cameroon, Peter Tien Ndeh, SDO for Manyu, begged the people of Akwaya for a ceasefire in witchcraft and other occultic practices.
According to Tien Ndeh, the use of occultic practices by the people of Akwaya to resist Francophone administrators sent to the area has made them ungovernable.
The former SDO of Manyu was speaking in Akwaya while commissioning Nelson Yongkhuma Gamsi, as the new Divisional Officer (DO) of the area.
He pleaded with the people to give the new DO, who is one of their sons, the opportunity to carry out his functions freely.
“He is one of you (an Anglophone), he understands your problems and he will help you solve them in the best possible way he can because he is also affected by the same problems.”
Since the surreptitious arrest and detention of one of the elites of Akwaya, Justice Ayah Paul Abine, the people have developed an antagonist attitude towards the Government, and have been resisting all forms of administration.
The former DO of Akwaya, had repeatedly complained to the SDO of Manyu that the people were using occultic practices and witchcraft to make administration on bearable for me.
To the new DO, Tien Ndeh said “you should educate Akwaya youths that why their role as the active arm of the society cannot be over emphasised, they must avoid using force to get their way in situations that cannot in any way benefit them.”
Meantime, since the arrest of the retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, his kith and kin have repeatedly threatened to secede from La Repulique and join Nigeria, if the Southern Cameroons does not fight to free herself from the shackles of the marriage of convenience which she got herself into with La Repulique in 1961.
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- Abeh Valery
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Students of the University of Buea (UB) on Monday, July 10, 2017, confronted the Minister of Higher Education, demanding him to strip the Mayor of Buea, Patrick Ekema Esunge, of all his degrees.
The students said the Mayor fraudulently gained admission into the citadel of learning and obtained the Bachelors and Masters’ degrees without having passed the Advance Level.
The students welcome the Minister of Higher Education, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, with placards bearing inscriptions such as “no to fake certificates in UB, we don’t want fraudsters in UB, strips the Mayor of his certificates obtained in UB,” among others.
The Minister was in Buea to commission recently appointed members of the university headed by the Pro-Chancellor, Prof Oben Ako and the Vice Chancellor, Prof Horace Ngomo Manga.
After the students’ demonstration, Minister Fame Ndongo waded in and promised to look into the matter.
The students’ demonstration is coming barely a few hour after executive members of all the Subsections of CPDM that make up Fako III, Buea, where Ekema Patrick is Mayor, resolved to slam a vote of no confidence on him.
The vote of no confidence issue also erupted few days after reports went viral that the Mayor surreptitiously entered the University of Buea with fake certificates.
According to the reports, Ekema wrote the GCE A level examination seven times and never succeeded to pass the exams even in two seating combined.
It is reported that after dabbling into politics, Ekema used one of his political God fathers to gain admission into UB with just a paper.
After obtaining the Bachelor and Masters’ Degrees and enrolling into a PhD programme, his fake certificate saga came to the fore.
The demonstrating students argued that many Cameroonians who genuinely passed the GCE were denied admission into UB, while those who did not even pass like Mayor Ekema are studying unperturbed.
The students told the new VC that he will never know peace in UB, if Ekema Patrick is not stripped of his degrees.
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- Abeh Valery
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Contrary to what many people were suggesting to be the top agenda of the National Assembly session of 8 July 2017, the Ambazonian fighter is still a full member of parliament and unshaken.
He will together with other MPs of the SDF, CPDM, UPC and other parties take part in the next and last meeting for the year, of the lower house of parliament in November. During this last session, the 2018 budget will be adopted.
Before the second ordinary session began, Cameroon-info:net asked one of the attendees if it was true that the main topic of discussion will be the stripping off of Honourable Wirba’s immunity. In response, the source who is probably a La Republic faithful said infuriatingly “leave us in peace with this your Wirba case. I don’t understand why everybody wants to focus everything on the “rebellious” honourable. His story is now an issue of the past. Everybody today, knows about the Anglophone crisis and everything is being done to solve the problem. We have better things to talk about rather than dwelling on Honourable Joseph Wirba’s case” explained the La Republique faithful.
It was revealed that, two main issues were to take centre stage; reforms in the National Assembly and discussions based on the construction of a new building where parliamentary sessions will be held. This transfer from the Ngoa Ekele glass house had been planned before now, but for a few setbacks like; finances and prolonged deliberations on the convenient site.
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- Eyong Orlando
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CPDM MPs of the Southwest Region, led by Hons. Muyali Boya Meboka and Emilia Lifaka Monjowa, have rejected a proposal to end the Anglophone Crisis through the National Dialogue Forum.
The proposal was made by Dr. Simon Munzu.
The MPs rejected the proposal in a disclaimer sent to the CPDM Secretary General, Jean Kuete, on July 7.
In the disclaimer, which was written after a meeting of Southwest CPDM MPs, Hons Meboka and Lifaka distant themselves from Dr. Munzu’s correspondence.
“We, the undersigned MPs from the Southwest Region do hereby disavow ourselves from the letter of Dr. Munzu Simon sent to the Head of State, calling for a ‘National Dialogue Forum on the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon. We remain loyal and hopeful to the course being carried out by our National President, His Excellency President Paul Biya aimed at resolving the Anglophone Crisis,” they wrote.
On March 6, 2017, Dr. Munzu addressed a letter to Anglophone MPs, urging them to take the lead for a peaceful resolution of the Anglophone Crisis through a National Dialogue Forum.
MPs like Senators Simon Achidi Achu, Peter Mafany Musonge, Nfon Mukete, Fon Teche, Hons. Emilia Lifaka, Joseph Banadzem and Enow Tanjong, were contacted.
But most of the abovementioned lawmakers, especially those of the CPDMM did not respond to Dr Munzu’s letters.
However, Hons Meboka and Lifaka’s letter to the CPDM Scribe has trigged resentment from the Anglophone communities who regard the CPDM MPs as the Iscariots who are not only fanning the marginalisation of the Anglophones in Cameroon by the Regime, but who also playing political games with the destinies of the people they claim to be representing.
Meanwhile, in a communiqué signed on June 7, by SDF Anglophone MPs, the lawmakers requested President Paul Biya to convene a National Dialogue Forum on the prevailing situation in the Northwest and Southwest Regions.
According to Hon. Joseph Mbah-Ndam, there is need for frank and comprehensive national dialogue, since all efforts made by Government to solve the Anglophone crisis have failed.
“To maintain peace, consolidate the country’s unity and strengthen the resolve of the day-to-day experience of living together as prescribed by the Head of State, there was need to look for a lasting solution, which can only be realise through frank and inclusive dialogue,” the SDF MPs said.
The people’s representatives suggested that the forum should be held before the commencement of the 2017/2018 school year.
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- Abeh Valery
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# 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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