ELECAM Appointments: Looking At Mr. Biya's Gift Horse In Its Mouth

By George Esunge Fominyen

It's customary for some people to make presents to loved ones at the end of the year. President Paul Biya certainly had this in mind for his people (certainly his pals) when he finally appointed the members of the election management (supervisory) board - that is  Elections Cameroon.

Or did he? African home-training requires that if a father provides a gift one should not look too deeply at the matter. But can that hold in this case? Here are the members of the ELECAM council: Cecile Mbomba Nkolo, Dorothy Limunga Njeuma, Abdoulaye Babale, Massi Ngams, Thomas Ejake Mbonda, Justin Ebanga Ewodo, Pierre Effa Ndono Bekono, Sadou Daoudou née Ledibawa, Adamou Ali, Fonkam Azuh.

The President of the council is Fonkam Azuh and the Vice President is Maître Justin Ebaga Ewodo. (Excuse me if I got the spellings wrong - I picked this up from listening to national radio).

After about 20 years in the university system in Cameroon as Director of the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters of Buea, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea and Rector of University of Yaounde I, Dr Dorothy Limunga Njeuma is bidding bye to running campuses.

Already a member of one of the African Union's arms with regards to governance 
(peer review mechanism?) maybe it was time for her to start focusing exclusively on 
political governance in Cameroon. Who knows - that may have been Mr. Biya's logic in 
appointing this member of the Politburo of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM).  

Cecile Mbomba Nkolo made a rapid entrance and exit in government as Minister for Social 
Affairs or was it Women's Affairs. But she remained steadfast in the CPDM attending most 
rallies for the Mfoundi Section. Now she is back in business! Fonkam Azuh served as Deputy Secretary General at the National Assembly. This Law professor seemed quiet but regularly featured in most "elite" meetings in the Northwest Region. He was 
often interviewed on important national (sometimes regional) political matters by the CRTV. 

Did I once see him sporting a CPDM regalia? That could be checked. What is certain is that  the man is now at the helm of ELECAM.Do you think Paul Biya had the following thought in mind while deciding on Fonkam Azuh as the President of the ELECAM Council: "Now, these "graffi" people can leave me in peace!

They are in charge of a strategic institution in the country!"  If you are used to Cameroon's politics of regional balance it could be that after a decade of a "Southwesterner" - Diane Acha-Morfaw (Lebialem Division) practically managing NEO or ONEL (ELECAM's predecessor) it is almost natural that "real graffies" take their turn!
As a reminder, while Diane Acha-Morfaw was "only" Vice-President of the National Elections Observatory (NEO/ONEL), she had as Presidents: the ailing Enoch Kwayeb (who finally kicked the bucket) and the not-so-present Francois Mbuyoum. Both were Bamilikés or let's say graffies on the Francophone side.

Maître Ebanga Ewodo also served at ONEL for years. And he seems to be the only one to have survived the change of electoral supervisory bodies. Is it because he was the most 
conscientious of all? He is now Vice-President. Would he be as powerful as Diane 
Acha-Morfaw?

Thomas Ejacke Mbonda. Former Governor of the Southwest Province (excuse me - Region). He was commander in chief in the region during the 2005 riots at the University of Buea that led to several deaths mostly due to heavy use of live ammunition by forces of law and order.

In the aftermath of the unrest, he was relieved of his duties as Governor or promoted to the higher rank of Inspector General in the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation. Now he is back to the core, supervising crucial matters e.g. elections.
Those are my first thoughts on Biya's New Year Gift to the People of Cameroon. What about you?

What are your views on this pack of election managers? Sani Tanimou and Erik Essousse were proposed and appointed as Director General and Vice, respectively on the same day by President Paul Biya.