Matters Arising

By Che Anoma

Biya’s Gov't Of Disillusionment, Appeasement And Penance

In 1992, prior to the first multiparty presidential election in Cameroon, and as part of his nationwide campaign, Southwesterners in the Provincial capital Buea, told Mr. Biya that there is a tendency to consider Anglophones as a tribe. At the time, it was Simon Achidi Achu who was Prime Minister, a Northwesterner. Similarly, other Northwesterners like S.N. Foncha and Solomon T. Muna had held the posts of Prime Minister in the former West Cameroon amongst others in the Republic of Cameroon.

In 1996, after trying in vain to woo Northwesterners to support him, Achidi Achu was sacked as Prime Minister. He was replaced by Peter Mafany Musonge hitherto General Manager of CDC. He held this post for good eight years. And today, in spite of all his achievements including the fact that twice he had been Biya's campaign manager even of the most recent Presidential election during which the CPDM recorded an overwhelming victory; despite the wonderful performance of Musonge either bogusly or genuinely, he has been shown the way out. The shabby treatment given him barely a month after Biya’s swearing-in is only mitigated by the fact that a Bakweri replaces another Bakweri. Unlike the Northwest case where Achidi Achu, Foncha and Muna, came from different tribes, in the Southwest Province, the Prime Ministers have come only from one tribe. Is it to be concluded that Biya now considers the Southwest as a tribe, or is there an elite tribe in the Southwest such as Bakweri. From Dr. Endeley, through Mafany Musonge to Inoni Eprhaim, all Bakweris. Now that the Southeasterners and specifically the Bakweris have “titularised” the post of Prime Minister, the issue about Anglophones being considered a tribe has been relegated to the background. Whatever the case, the matter at stake here is not about tribal appointments. All Cameroonians look forward to at this juncture is the trumpeted greater achievements. To say the least, this government does not usher in any glimmer of hope. From the appointment of the Prime Minister to holders of other ministerial portfolios, this cabinet reshuffle defied all speculations. The absence of a broad based government of national consensus smacks of disillusionment. This looks like a pre-test cabinet, which after measuring the people's reaction, the real cabinet will be announced later. In this government, Betis stood out tallest, twenty appointees, followed by the Northerners, 17 portfolios, to appease them for neglect under the Biya regime. Also, it is a compensation for not being unable to comply with their demands for the post of Prime Minister. However, to mollify them, Amadou Ali, Minister of Justice, was made Deputy Prime Minister. The Balimekes too, did not fare quite well but those who are generally agreed to be doing penance under Biya’s new septennat are the Anglophones. With an impotent post of Prime Minister because of a more powerful Secretary General at the Presidency, Anglophones have a single full Minister but half a Ministry, Forestry and Fauna, a split from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. No matter what punishment Biya has settled for in favour of Anglophones; poetic or retributive, it is a fact hat the number of CPDM militants or better still, those who voted for CPDM in the Northwest outnumber those in the Southwest Province. Yet the number of appointees from the Southwest is alarming.

Comments

[Sammy Ndingi]

I would like to underscore the fact that Mr Anoma did a wonderful analysis but spoilt it at the end by making comparisons in the number of votes between South West and the North West. While Cameroonians all over the globe are crying foul on the marginalisation of Anglophones in the recent confused canbinet nominations put in place by Mr Biya, Mr Anoma as a journalist (if he is) would have based his judgement/analysis on fairness. I don't think the issue here is the disparity in numbers of people who voted for the CPDM in the both provinces. All of us are living witnesses of the excessive hatred, injustice and let you go-to-die attitude of this regime ever since it's enthronment some twenty-two or more years ago. Sample a bulk of the majorities opinion and they will tell you they are tired, fed up with a clumpsy regime with no focus for years un-end. Now that the whole world knows the exaggerated, provocative and pains-causing regime to Anglophones, instead of talking with one voice, such comparisons only go to dampen the Anglophone cause. Why always this comaparison with the South West and not the other way round? I wonder when the P.M position was moving from the Muna's to the Achidi's that Mr Anoma had this same anlysis if at all he was a journalist by then! Mr Anoma, if you are a journalist, please do us the readers the favour by avoiding personal sentiments. I know you are human and it becomes increasingly difficult on certain issues but please execute your duties according to ethics.

Without any biais, continue with the good work!!!!!

[Che Sunday (Dr.)]

The general outcry about the ommission of anglophones in a government we claim to detest just goes to confirm my hypothesis that "in Cameroon, people vote with their stomachs, not their heads."
This is a government that has ruled the country for more than twenty something years. It has done little to make anglophones feel wanted. What makes anglophones in their right minds to start thinking that an inclusion of a few more anglophones in its last merry go round will make a difference? Are anglophones clamouring to join in the looting of the country or do they believe they could actually make a difference?
The selection of a prime minister in any of the ethnicities within the anglophone region of the country does little or nothing to ameriorate the decaying economic situation of the region, as well as the country in general.
Take a look at what the contributions of those whom have served in this capacity have amounted to.
Foncha went in and was completely oblivious to the sufferings of those he was representing. When he finally got tossed out and in 1992 got molested by troops, he led a delegation that was hoping western capitals, including the United Nations, asking for a reconsideration of the merging of the two states. It took him more than thirty five years to see what his compatriots were living under.
Muna took over, and when he passed away, some of the press clippings had his clans men asking what he did for Meta. Of course, he gave them a prison. Very impressive!
Achidi Achu went in unceremously, and got out same. He is still scheming on how to get back in. Musonge, a great manager who saw the need to involve the community as much as possible in the running of CDC, wept openly in church because deep down, he knew he was not a politician. But answered the call to go in the vain hope that there was some hope of bringing salvation into a government that was infested by very corupt individuals.Under his watch, CDC has been stolen from the Bakweri's and privatised. His inability to quickly bring the Bakewri chiefs to agreement over this matter might have been his undoing.
So, either collectively or individually, anglophone participation in [ruining] not running the country has been minimal. Your hands are still relatively clean, you should be celebrating, not crying.
Where I come from, there is a saying that a woman can not be filing for divorce and asking for farmland on the property of the man she is divorcing. If the CPDM is not good for anglophone Cameroon, may be the anglophones will best serve their own interest by not trying to kick in the door to a party they are not invited to, and not wanted to join either.
Finally, a word to Mr. Anoma. When you write for on-line publication, bear in mind that your readership becomes international and will be seriously scrutinized. Therefore, do very good editing before publishing. You made a very glaring error when you say, " also, it is a compensation for not being unable to comply with their demands for the post of Prime Minister. In your reasoning, he complied. That is not what you intended to say. It should read, "also, it is a compensation for not being able to comply with their demands for the post of Prime Minister." Not" and "Unable" do not go together.