Compiled By Chris Mbunwe, Peterkins Manyong, Kini Nsom, Francis Tim Mbom, Olive Ejang & Ernest Sumelong
They should reinforce the democratic system in Cameroon, for it is going down. They should equally combat embezzlement. Much is still to be done on that so that we can
have a better Cameroon in the near future.
Prince Chefor Ngwa, Businessman, Yaounde
Nothing Will Come Out
I am not a CPDM militant. I do not believe much is going to come out of any congress the CPDM holds. You would realise this congress seems to have been pushed down the CPDM throat and not much in terms of preparations or prior arrangements has been made. I don't think anything is really going to come out of this congress.
Barrister Eta-Besong Junior
Party Should Be Overhauled
It is coming at the right time. People had long expected the congress to come up. It will revamp party activities especially as we await elections next year. I also hope that there will be some replacement of vacant positions within the higher organs of the party like the Central Committee, owing to the fact that some members have died. There should be some overhaul.
Hon. Ngale Adolph Namme, MP, Buea Urban
Inject New Blood
My expectations are high. There should be some reorganisation. The party needs to be revived and given a new lease of life from bottom to top so that new blood can be injected into the party and people with new ideas should come up. As a democratic and ruling party, all organs must be fresh with the on-coming competition and elections in 2007. We expect new blood and fresh ideas to be thrown into the party.
Chief Elongo A Kombe, CPDM Subsection President, Clerks' Quarters/lower Farms
It Means Nothing
The CPDM has failed us and has not done anything for this country. So whether there is a congress or not, I do not think there is anything that will come out of it. As it has always been rumoured, they only want to extend Mr. Biya's mandate. Since Biya came to power in 1982, he has not given us anything. Whether there is a CPDM congress or not, it means nothing to me.
Barrister Joseph Ebai, Buea
No Surprises
Biya has never acted in a dramatic manner. So I do not expect any surprises. This means that Biya is going to maintain himself at the helm of the party. He doesn't believe in rocking the boat. There is no democracy in the CPDM and Fru Ndi is just copying what prevails in the CPDM. Everything in the CPDM is directed and tele-guided by an invisible kitchen cabinet. So there will be no surprises, no drama, no rocking of the boat, come July 21. That is Biya's style.
Barrister Henry Ngale Monono, Limbe
Biya Would Likely Change His SG
Well, if actually the congress is going to be one where democratic principles would be respected, then the congress may turn out to be a good one. For I don't think that the party Chairman, Paul Biya, will open up to any challenges to his position as the Chairman of the party.
You can see how long it has taken him to even accept that there should be a congress. There has been a lot of pressure brought to bear on him by some of the progressives of the party like Milla Assoute, Jean Jacques Ekindi, Simon Munzu and so on. You can even cite the recent case of the Secretary General of the party, Charles Doumba.
He has for the past two years been pretty silent for the simple fact that he became critical of the President's handling of affairs of the party. So I don't think the congress is one that will tamper with Biya's position as the chairman of the party. Biya would rather on July 21, want to change the SG and some of the big wigs of the party whose names have figured among the list of the corrupt.
Charles Mandze, Driver, Limbe
Facilitate Payment Of Contract Bill
Our nation is pregnant with a lot of hopes as far as the congress is concerned. I know that the election of a new chairman is one of the most important things and I want that after that he should take a lot of decisions. Civil servants are crying, the ordinary people are crying, business people are crying.
So we are expecting a lot and we know that the congress will change a lot. They should facilitate the payment of contract bills. They should give orders to the Minister of Finance to pay. As of now they have suspended the payment of HIPC-1 projects and we do not know why. Those are priority projects.
Mbonda Samuel, Businessman, Yaounde
Make Distinction Between Party Head And Head Of State
As far as I am concerned, they should clearly make a distinction as to who heads the party and who heads the state. They should do it in such a way that the head of state is not the head of a political party. They should distinguish the two. That will be one way of fostering democracy and development in Cameroon.
There is a particular school of thought in the CPDM that thinks that the party should modify the constitution of Cameroon, to give them another term of office. I think that the party hierarchy should discourage that idea and make sure that only the constitution of their party is interfered with and not the constitution of the country.
Maurice Tibam, Journalist, Yaounde
Wipe Out Division Syndrome
I propose that the division syndrome within the CPDM folk should be wiped out in the congress. In Kumba, the kam no go syndrome is rife, keeping northwesterners from joining the CPDM party because they are looked at as outsiders. This makes the northwesterners remain with the opposition SDF, rendering CPDM's victory in Kumba very slim. If the party wants to win in Kumba, the helm must ensure that outsiders are not treated as strangers.
Henry Frunwi, CPDM Section President, Hausa Quarters, Kumba
Review High Taxes
I think they should first of all address the issue of high taxes. That is they should curtail the taxes in Cameroon because they are killing business initiatives. Government imposes high taxes, causing many people to run out of business.
Justine Ndukong, Yaounde
Make A Good Choice
The CPDM should make their choice as they deem fit for the smooth running of the party. Whether the leader is Anglophone or Francophone he/she should be a good leader for the party. I think the present leader has not lived up to expectations.
Clarence Toh, Student, Yaounde
Democratic Spirit
I consider it democratic that the Head of State is calling a congress immediately after the expiration of his mandate, which makes him a respecter of the law. The said congress is coming at a time Biya is rounding up his last term of office and we expect it to generate a lot of democratic spirit in terms of people aspiring to lead CPDM party, thereby preparing for the position of the next president of this Republic.
Also, five years have gone by since the last congress and many things are at stake. Some Central Committee members have died, creating vacancies, which need to be filled at the forthcoming congress. Other pertinent issues like bringing some organs prescribed in the 1996 constitution which till date have not been put in place are to be discussed, and the bills sent to parliament for adoption, thereby bringing the 1996 constitution and its organs prescribed therein into full play.
Barrister Ntuba Mboe Ngoh Chambers, Kumba
Nothing To Expect
We do not expect anything from that convention because there is never a day in this world where a great party of the magnitude of the CPDM can convene a convention within fourteen days and hold it. We don't know where they are going to raise money to hold the convention since it will involve everybody. We don't expect anything from it.
Francis Atongsang, Freelance Reporter, Buea
There Could Be A Change
I can't say for sure whether there is going to be a change in the leadership of the party, but I think that when such extra-ordinary congresses are called, it is usually to elect a new national president of the party. It is left open now for anybody who feels that he is ripe to head the party to bring out his candidature. It is just but normal, I mean it is a democracy. It is not only the incumbent who is supposed to be there. The electorate or those who would vote shall then determine whether the person vying is ripe enough to head the party. If Mila Asoute were still there, this would have been the best time for him to present his candidature.
John Manga Williams,YCPDM President, Limbe
I Expect Biya To Resign
I am expecting the President of the CPDM, Mr. Paul Biya, to resign and pass on the baton of command to another leader. In the CPDM party, there are equally people who are very resourceful like President Biya, but, since age will not possibly allow him to complete another term of office, let him quit before power quits him.
Remember what happened to President Ahmadou Ahidjo. He was National Chairman of the CNU and when age and illness took hold of him, he did not want to hear the word resignation. If President Biya thinks his age will permit him, let him go ahead and appoint himself during the Congress.
Mrs. Eunice Fontoh-Buyam Sellam Nkwen Market
A Congress Of Deliverance
I want to believe that it will be a Congress of deliverance, and transparency; a congress where truth and honesty will prevail if the participants are going to be sincere. The changes expected after the Congress have to do with the current CPDM hierarchy which should be replaced with new blood. Simply put, we expect sweeping changes in positions in the party - from top to bottom.
Kenneth Fon - Sports Journalist Abakwa FM Bamenda
A Lot Of Surprises
The Congress will bring a lot of surprises because Cameroonians are expecting elections next year and President Biya, the incumbent, is aware of the high expectations from Cameroonians.
Denis Adamu Kwe- Mechanic Nkambe
I Do Not Expect Any changes
Let us not continue to daydream about expectations from the CPDM Congress since there will be no democratic elections. What I mean is that nobody should expect any changes at the helm of power. If there were going to be elections, that Congress could have been convened for at least two days.
Take it from me: if there are elections on July 21, Biya will not win. Biya and his CPDM have taken Cameroonians hostage. We are poor to the bones and people are dying everyday. So, by convening his Congress, Biya wants to consolidate his Presidency for Life.
Simon Tangie-Ti-Tam Printers
Time For The Truth
CPDM militants are all hypocrites. They say what they do not do. That is what is killing us. They should speak the truth on what they have to realise and to realise it so that the youths and everybody should feel free, seeing the reality, the work done in the field and everything.
Ivo Tumi, Yaounde
Central Committee, Politburo Will Be Restructured
The expectation of everyone, especially militants of the CPDM, is the fact that the Chairperson of the party is normally going to be selected or re-elected. We, the militants of the party, have confidence in the leadership of the Head of State President, Paul Biya, who is also National Chairman.
So, I think that he will still be given the confidence. Secondly, you must have known that for sometime now, the party has lost a lot of Central Committee and Politburo members either through death or otherwise. So, it is our hope that the Central Committee and Politburo will be restructured.
As a ruling party, we equally think that the socio-economic developments that are going on within the country that may not be openly discussed at the Congress could be looked at by other organs of the party. You know the party in power must think of the common man's interest and opinion.
Isaiah Njilah Tata-Principal GHS Wum
Change At Helm Of CPDM
With the coming of elections next year, the CPDM Congress should effect change at the helm of the party. The party should be more open to the grassroots. It should decentralise, so that there should be an equal sharing of the national cake. After that Congress, Anglophones should not cry again that they have not been given posts in Biya's cabinet. Here I'm thinking of Defence, Finance and Economy, Secretary General at the Presidency and so on. The time for the CPDM to act is now.
Wilfred Fusi-Director SUPA Security-Bamenda
Heads Will Roll
I expect a lot of heads to roll because the CPDM needs new blood. As for Mr. Paul Biya, CPDM National Chairman, I do not expect him to be replaced. Because, till now, he has not groomed anybody to take over from him. Unlike what happened with the SDF, I don't expect a split.
There can be trouble only if those who are in the CPDM only to use the Party as an umbrella to siphon public funds are shown the door. That is, if President Biya gives the impression that he intends to intensify the fight against corruption.
Edward Ngalah, Anti-corruption Crusader and Consultant on Good Governance.
Another Politburo Member From NW Expected
The CPDM Extraordinary Congress is not just any kind of Congress. Take note that the Chairman of the Party is also Head of State. Also note that the Congress has a one-item agenda: election. Unlike what transpires in the SDF where odd decisions like the formation of a "Shadow Cabinet" with 18 ministerial posts with two assistants, each making 54 members, President Biya is more realistic.
There is no doubt that the Central Committee will be renewed. There is the possibility of the CPDM National Chairman appointing another Politburo member from the Northwest Province. But this will depend on whether he finds another person as devoted and as hardworking as Hon. Tamfu.
I am confident that the CPDM Extraordinary Congress will be a huge success because President Biya is a constitutional expert with a sound legal and political mind.
El Hadj Lawan Bako,UDP National Chairman and co-spokesperson for the Presidential Majority.
Expect Nothing Much
If it were an Ordinary Congress, I would have had something more serious to say, but now that it is an Extra-ordinary Congress, I think it will be a one-item agenda, that is, the re-election of President Biya at the helm of the CPDM. I cannot predict whatever is going to come out of that Congress. You will be surprised that, Paul Biya, in his usual manner, will appoint people to posts.
Hon. PC Fonso MP for Momo
Dormant Militants Should Give Way
We are in the stronghold of Cameroon's frontline opposition party, the SDF. Unfortunately, the Central Committee has not paid enough attention to us, considering the rough political terrain in which we live. We expect the Secretariat of the Party to take care of the areas that are not functioning.
Those holding posts that are dormant should give way to those who are ready to work. We expect a lot of institutional reforms to enable the Party move forward. The Northwest needs a second Politburo member considering its numerical strength.
Alexander Buma (Ba Nkom) Mezam 111(Bali) CPDM Section President.
Renewal of Biya's Mandate
It is a pity that some persons who parade themselves around as CPDM barons do not know the Party texts. What is coming up next week is an Extraordinary Congress, which means it has one item: the renewal of the Party Chairman's mandate. An Ordinary Congress will hold later and that is when institutional reforms will take place. I am surprised that, even in Yaounde, many militants don't know this and some persons are wasting their time campaigning.
Prince David Achirimbi Suh, CPDM Resource Person for Bafut
This is high time the cpmd party should sit up and distinguish betweent the party and the state. After this extra ordinary congress, no general manager should give out any money in the name of the cpdm instead of the cameroonian state.
Chief or so call prince achirimbi should read his own cpdm party rules very well. It is stated no way that in the case of an extra ordinary congress, only one point should be discussed.
This are people one spoil the party at their level, particularly in the north west province by claiming they know more than others. The best thing paul biya should do is to announce his resignation on that 21 july 2006. Let him follow the footsteps of OUR ONLY LATE PRESIDENT
Posted by: TALKTRUE | Friday, 14 July 2006 at 10:03 AM