Chantal Biya Foundation, CERAC celebrates: But for how long?

CERAC is the name of the Chantal Biya Foundation and Chantal Biya is Cameroon's First Lady. CERAC is celebrating this week its 20 years of existence and the association has recruited large media houses and political reinforcements to tell the world that it has honored its humanitarian commitments in 20 years of existence, in the sectors of Health, Education , support to rural women, assistance to vulnerable people and access to clean water. Pro CERAC media gurus have reported that the NGO has achieved over 90% of its development plan in 2014 alone. CERAC constantly brings together the wives of dignitaries from all countries and diplomats accredited to Cameroon. Members also include senior female cabinet ministers and members of parliament including some in the private sector.

To be a member of CERAC, it is not enough to be rich, but to have a caring heart, the spirit of sharing and giving. Above all, you have to be a wife and have some strong political contacts particularly deep within the CPDM crime syndicate. In reality, the wives of all highly placed dignitaries of the Biya regime are all members. Celebrating 20 years of its existence has not been easy recently in Yaounde due to the fact that Paul Biya, 82, including 33 years at the helm of authority is now seeing his estate on the menu of the political discourse. This has culminated to shunning of meetings and financial contributions that were regularly a CERAC private preserve.

Cameroon Concord is aware that the NGO has not received any state subsidy for the celebration. Yet its members use administrative vehicles and other means of state, to browse within the country. CERAC will of course celebrate. However,the wives of some dignitaries feel ostracized, shunned or better still banished as their husbands convicted of embezzlement in connection with the Operation Sparrow Hawk no longer feel the need to appear with Mrs Biya. Also, some women whose husbands current hold high positions in the state apparatus have opted to stay away from CERAC. Happy 20th anniversary CERAC!!!