By Kini Nsom
Without Membership Cards
Apparently setting the tone of the CPDM extraordinary congress, the spokesmen for the organizing committee, Prof. Elvis Ngolle Ngolle and Prof. Pierre Mukoko Mbonjo organized a press conference on July 20 at the conference centre.
Prof. Fame Ndongo, Higher Education Minister and Hon. Paul Celestin Ndiebiyembe attended the occasion in which journalists raised most of the controversies surrounding the party.
One journalist stirred commotion when he challenged the CPDM officials to show their membership cards. It turned out that none of the officials had a CPDM membership card. But Prof. Mukoko Mbonjo claimed that they did not want to show their party cards because they would be performing an unnecessary obstacle. "None of them had a membership car," some journalists whispered, claiming that the party no longer cares about party cards.
Another journalist equally asked the CPDM officials to explain why some CPDM officials were using state cars to organize the congress of a political party. This time around Prof. Moukoko Mbonjo played the Pontius Pilate, claiming that although he is a Minister of Communication; he has been using only his private car to come to the conference center.
Corruption
Organizational setbacks apparently pulled back the spectacular success that the congress would have enjoyed. As President Biya preached against corruption, some protocol and security officers were busy collecting money from delegates that were duly accredited before letting them into the hall.
In fact, the greatest scandal came when some party officials reported embezzled bags and other party gadgets. Thus many delegates wondered about without bags in which to put their documents. The 25 sub committees that were set up to organize the congress were said to be auto financing.
As a result, the commissions that had some of the big guns of the state were spoiled with cash while those with no financial barons were gripped by pecuniary asphyxia. Members of the committee set up to bring the party newspaper L'Action from its grave, were heard grumbling that there was nobody amongst them to call the financial shots.
It was thanks to the Chamber of Commerce boss Claude Monthe that two pre-congress editions of the paper were published.
When journalists asked what the budget of the congress was, Pro Mukoko Mbonjo, sounded more sophistic in his answer. Hear him, "a certain amount of money has been used to organize the congress. I don't yet know the name of this amount".
Meanwhile it was rumoured at the corridors that the organization of the congress swallowed well over FCFA 1 billion and enabled some party officials to line their pockets.
Following the anti corruption arrests triggered by President Biya, it was said that some state big guns who are CPDM officials, were afraid to openly use money for the congress, while many others tried to do something from their personal pockets.
Charles Doumba's Coma
The CPDM Secretary General, Joseph Charles Doumba who has reportedly been sick, found himself unable to read an authorization letter issued by the Divisional Officer for Yaoundé II for the congress to hold. He started reading the letter with trembling lips and just of a sudden stopped, behaving like somebody who did not know how to pronounce the next word.
There was total silence that caused a seemingly embarrassed President Biya to roar, "Mr. Secretary General, you have the floor". Then Charles Doumba, after trembling for a while, read the authorization in total difficulty.
Many onlookers commented that the scribe, who was frail in speech, was in a coma. It was after this incident that insiders said the CPDM chairman would certainly appoint another person to replace Charles Doumba as Secretary General.
Some people said such allegations might sound like pleasant music to ears of Doumba's deputy, Gregoire Owona who is said to be at loggerheads with his ailing boss for quite some time now.
It is claimed that it was because of this conflict that Doumba completely sidelined Owona from the organizing committee of the congress. But it was reported that Duomba put some people into the organizing committee who acted like spies for Gregoire Owona and even tried to sabotage the successful organization of the conference.
CPDM insiders said Biya intends to put an end to the conflict by appointing a new Secretary General who would organize the ordinary congress of the party in February 2007.
Bui Elites Disagree
In a reaction to the press after Biya's opening speech, Christopher Nsahlai argued that resource persons were indispensable because the party will not function if they were not there. Many other party officials corroborated this view.
Nsahlai is coincidentally one resource person that has been in conflict with the local party leader, Mr. Lawrence Tasha, in his Bui constituency While referring to the Bui CPDM crisis, Prof, Daniel Lantum told the press at the Yaounde conference center that Tasha remains the powerful CPDM leader in Bui and no one should try to dominate.
Biya's challenger Missing
At the eve of the conference, one Tobi Ndi, presented himself as one who was prepared to challenge Biya in the race for the chairmanship of the party. Tobi's campaign seems to have only ended in newspapers. The man was nowhere to be found when serious things began.
But when the press met Tobi at the corridors of the conference center at the eve of the congress, he said he was still determined to run the race, but gave the impression that he was being blocked. But party officials said they were not aware that Tobi had the intentions to challenge the incumbent Biya .
One of the spokespersons for the organizing committee, Prof. Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, said the CPDM is a democratic party and would not stop anybody who wants to run for any post in the party. According to Ngolle Ngolle, the CPDM as the ruling party is striving not to make any undemocratic mistakes. He said the party is not that of saints but they were all the time striving for perfection.
Tight Security
The conference centre and its vicinity looked like an area under military siege. Security operatives had sealed up the entrance to the place. Elements of the presidential guard corps stood in combat gear, looking menacingly at passers-by, giving the impression that they were ready to shoot down even a fly that did not respect their matching orders.
From the Tsinga entrance to the Bastos end, no ordinary vehicle was allowed to get in. Vehicles that carried delegates were simply stopped and the delegates forced to trek to the place. Even after the congress it was not easy for people to leave the conference center.
Some state officials and traditional rulers found it difficult to get to their cars; one traditional ruler trekked from the conference centre to the Tsinga sous prefecture junction as rain drizzled. This reporter also spotted an MP running in desperation looking for his driver to no avail.
We all understand why we are looking for an able and capable opposition leader who will kick president Paul Biya and his gang of thieves out of office. World records presently hold it that President Paul Biya is the ONLY head of state who has no opposition, and who is - instead- being sustained by the main opposition leader. I think readers understand my vexation against the man keeping Paul Biya in power.
I do not know if we only have to take up a physical fight against this CPDM junta and its SDF ally. After the betrayal from the person we projected against Biya, I think we have to clean away both messes and try another person. This is serious matter!
mukete
Posted by: mukete | Monday, 24 July 2006 at 05:03 PM