France-based SDF Aspirant For Chairmanship Meets Fru Ndi

By Joe Dinga Pefok

France-based SDF militant, Celestin Djamen, who, in May 2006, was reportedly blocked from contesting for the post of National Chairman of that party has met the SDF National Chairman, John Fru Ndi.

Djamen met Fru Ndi recently at his Ntarikon residence in Bamenda to reaffirm his desire to take over as party Chairman when Fru Ndi's mandate expires.

It will be recalled that, Djamen, who is the Secretary of the SDF Paris-West Cell (equivalent of an SDF Electoral District in Cameroon), had, in late 2005, handed his application file for the post of Chairman, to the President of his Cell, Peter Mbafor, for onward transmission to the party's Secretary General in Cameroon.

But Mbafor reportedly never forwarded the file. He reportedly told the party's Secretary General, Dr. Elizabeth Tamanjong, in a meeting in Bamenda, that he had forgotten Djamen's file in Paris. But Djamen as well as many militants and observers were of the opinion that Mbafor, who is a blood relation of Fru Ndi, tried to block Djamen from challenging him [Fru Ndi].

In a chat with The Post in Douala on June 4, Djamen said during his meeting with Fru Ndi, he, among other things, informed the Chairman of his intention to resign from his job at France Telecom, return home and play a more active part in the political struggle to bring change in the country.

He also disclosed that he still has ambitions to become the National Chairman of the SDF, and, so, he still intends to run for the post when Fru Ndi's mandate expires in three years.
As to Fru Ndi's reaction to his plan of returning to the country, Djamen said both the SDF leader and another senior member of the party, Joseph Atekwana, welcomed the idea.
Fru Ndi was quoted to have said that the struggle to bring change in Cameroon could be better fought at home and not abroad. 

Disorder In SDF-France

Djamen also told The Post that he briefed the Chairman on the deteriorating situation of the party in France and urged the National Executive Committee, NEC, to do something to save it from collapse.

According to Djamen, there is the absence of a legal and legitimate Provincial Chairman to effectively coordinate the activities of the party.Djamen stated that, at a the SDF-France Provincial Conference in 2003, when a new Bureau was supposed to be elected for a four-year mandate, a lot of irregularities were observed before the start of the election.

He said because some of the irregularities could not be immediately handled, the conference adopted a resolution that whoever was to emerge as Chaurman from the controversial elections, was to be in office for not more than six months.

It was agreed, Djamen noted, that the interim Chairman was to convene another conference within six months for fresh elections to be conducted.But Djamen regretted that Jean Paul Tchakounte, who emerged as Interim Chairman, refused to convene a Provincial Conference of SDF- France after the six months.

Tchakounte has since hung to the post. Djamen said the party hierarchy back at home and a majority of SDF militants in France, no longer recognise Tchakounte as Chairman of SDF France.

He recalled that at the Bamenda Convention, the party applied Article 18, which temporarily placed SDF-France under the direct control of NEC. It was understood that measures were to be taken by NEC to restore order in the SDF-France. But Djamen noted that, a year after the National Convention, nothing had happened, and Tchakounte continues to sit tight as Chairman of SDF-France.

He said Tchakounte at times calls a few friends for purported SDF meetings, and comes out with so-called resolutions.Finally, Djamen said he has urged the party hierarchy to act fast to save the image of the SDF in France.

Comments

[Y. Maurice Martin]

Politics is best settle home than abroad, My dear millitants came back home lets joind hands and settel our problems together

Yuh Maurice M.
Tiko - Cameroon

[Fritzane Kiki HK]

Mr Djamen don't bother yourself.The Chairman still have time.Better stay in France in your present job than hoping to mistakingly take over.You are behaving as if you don't know party politics in Cameroon.The cliques and henchmen like Mbah Ndam,Yoyo and Tamanjong can be future Chairman, not you from outside without a proper knowledge of the party in-fighting and struggle, rocking the party for the last decade now.

That not withstanding,a change in the leadership can stir interests and encourage most of the rivalry factions to join with the recoinstruction of the party's systems and constitution.

Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong