Fru Ndi And The CPDM Eat From The Same Plate - Muna

Interviewed By Kini Nsom

Barrister Ben Muna, who claims to be the leader of a faction of the SDF party, has scoffed at Ni John Fru Ndi, whom he accuses of "eating from the same plate with the CPDM party". Ben Muna also says his faction of the SDF is already doing groundwork and is prepared to participate in the upcoming elections and run for all 120 constituencies. Despite Professor Ngwasiri's reconciliation with Fru Ndi and his decision to withdraw from the case he had taken against the SDF, Ben Muna maintains he is bent on pursuing the matter to the end. He discussed these issues and more in an exclusive interview granted The Post in Yaounde. Excerpts:

You were not invited for consultations at the Prime Minister's office when government wanted to table the bill on ELECAM. Is that an indication that government does not recognise your faction of the SDF?

Bernard Muna: The Prime Minister of the CPDM government has a right to invite whoever he wants, especially people who are their friends, who will accept whatever they say and approve whatever they do. I am not worried that the Prime Minister did not consult me. He invited only Fru Ndi because both of them eat from the same plate. They discovered that they are comfortable with what Fru Ndi can say or do. When they finished with the meeting, he was given an envelope and, when Cameroon Calling asked him, he said it was a private affair between him and the Prime Minister.

You say Fru Ndi and Prime Minister Chief Ephraim Inoni eat from the same plate. Could you support such an allegation with facts and iron-cast evidence?

Everybody knows about it. It's nothing but the obvious now. How can he go to their NEC and say no ELECAM, no election. Mr. Fru Ndi should not start to think that Cameroonians are fools. In 1992, we refused to go for the Legislative elections but went for the Presidential elections.

In 1996, we participated in the Legislative but stayed away from the 1997Presidential elections. In 2004, we went in for the Presidential elections and, now, he is calling for a boycott of Legislative and Municipal elections. Anyway, I have come back to the scene and we are going to tell Cameroonians not to allow people, who are not patriotic, people who are using political parties for their personal ends, to continue to fool them. That is my mission.

What is your opinion about ELECAM?

In the last NEC meeting, we issued a statement on ELECAM. I appeared in a forum organised by Radio Siantou with some members of the CPDM and Civil Society in which I gave my view about ELECAM. First of all, the Cameroonian people were asking for an independent electoral commission.

Is ELECAM an independent electoral commission? The answer is no. The Chairman of the CPDM, who is also the President of the Republic, will name the members of ELECAM. We know that the Constitution of the CPDM party states that its Chairman is automatically the presidential candidate.

Therefore, the President of the Republic owes his loyalty to his own party, which has made him Chairman, and, therefore, automatically presidential candidate. Can this Chairman of the CPDM name independent members of ELECAM who may work towards the demise of his own party in government? The answer is no.

I think that, as any human being, the Chairman of the CPDM will try to protect his party. He is not an angel. That's the first comment. Secondly, if we look at the text creating ELECAM, you will note that the twelve members of the Commission have been armed against conflicts of interest, that is, there are certain positions that they cannot hold: they cannot be members of political parties, members of government, MPs etc.

But they are only members of the commission. Who runs ELECAM on the ground? A Director General. If you go under it, you will see that they have not said that a Director General has certain conflicts of interest, which he cannot manage. Thus, this Director General could be a CPDM party member.

So you see, the person who actually runs it on the ground has not been guarded against conflicts of interest. Therefore, they can name their own Secretary General of the CPDM and there will be no problem. The CPDM regime specialises in creating laws that do not come into effect, for example, the 1996 Constitution.

We are the only country on earth that has two constitutions functioning side by side. In 2006, 10 years afterwards, they came up with ELECAM that will not go into effect. It is going to come into affect gradually in 18 months. I think that this is arrogance. We, the Cameroonian people, are regarded as fools and idiots by the CPDM, as people who merit no consideration. We are preparing so that the CPDM should know the minds of the people.

The other part of its non-independence is that, the members of the commission have a life span of four years while the Director General has a life span of five years. This tells you that, at one point, the commission will demise and the Director will conduct the elections of 2011, making the President institute another term to go on again for five or seven years.

So, with all this in mind and many others, I am convinced that ELECAM is just a new model of NEO. What I care about is that the Cameroon people should take their destiny in their hands by registering and going to elections massively and staying in the polling stations till votes are counted.

In such a situation, are you going for elections?

Yes, I don't believe in the politics of boycott. Those who boycott make it easy for the party in power. Freedom should be fought and conquered; we should massively go for the elections and vote for the opposition. Even if gendarmes come to the polling stations, let's die for our rights. It's about time for a revolution in this country.
How many constituencies are you going in for in the Parliamentary elections?
All the 120 constituencies.

Frankly speaking, do you think this is possible?

You will find that we are already on the ground. We are working in many divisions in the North and East provinces. We are gradually and quietly choosing our candidates, canvassing for them and educating the people.

It's not a matter of rallies; you have to educate the people. We have been doing this quietly without any fanfare. The people know that there has to be a change. They know that the CPDM government has failed and therefore are looking for something new.
 

You fought hard to stop Fru Ndi from holding a rally in Limbe. Now that it successfully held, are you disappointed?

We were not fighting, we pointed out that violence might spark from the different conflicts between SCNC, our party and Fru Ndi's group of people. The administration called our provincial chairman on Wednesday night and told him that they are going to give the permit and asked him to make an undertaking that there should be no violence. And being the peace loving people that we are, we gave that undertaking and you see that the rally went on smoothly.
 

Prof. Ngwasiri, the man with whom you organised the Yaounde convention wherein you claimed to have been elected, apologised to Fru Ndi. Do you still have the moral authority to continue with this fight?

First of all, I did not organise the Yaounde convention. It was organised by an organising committee, headed by Ivo Yudom. Secondly, Ngwasiri, in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Advisory Council of the SDF, took over the duties and functions of the SDF. His job was ended on the 26th of May when we elected the new National Executive Committee, NEC.

If, after that date, he feels that he should leave the party for reasons best known to him, I can only respect his right to do so. Secondly, he went to Fru Ndi; he did not go to the Chairman of the SDF He went there for personal reasons. I cannot begrudge him for going to make peace with whomsoever.

You mentioned elsewhere that Ngwasiri sent a resignation letter to you addressing you, as the Chairman of the SDF, is that true?

Yes, and he did say in Cameroon Tribune that there is only one Chairman and that is me. He and Yudom organised the convention here [Yaounde] where I was elected. So, I do not see how he does not recognise me as leader.
 

You are one of those who are calling for justice to take its right course in the Diboule affair. Yet, there are allegations that you are stalling the progress of that murder case by refusing to co-operate with the Legal Department. What is happening? 

The prosecutor of the court here is a source of a joke. He has been transferred. He sent the lawyer to me to come and collect names of witnesses. The lawyer is one Mr. Mangoua who has been dismissed from the Bar Council. How can a prosecutor ask another lawyer to do that? He knows me, why didn't he call me.

That already smacks of some foul play. I wrote a serious complaint to the Minister of Justice on that. I was in Bamenda for Christmas and New Year. On Tuesday, January 2, I saw a summons of the 10 victims, who were beaten by Fru Ndi's vanguards, deposited in my office.

It was dropped in my office at 12:30 pm on December 29. The summons, dated 28 November, was asking us to report to his office at 10:a.m on that Friday 29. The prosecutor has the addresses of all these witnesses. He could present the summons to them directly. He should have given me time so that I could get to these people. That was very fishy. I don't know what game the prosecutor's office was trying to play. I have been a prosecutor and I know the law and the behaviour of some judicial officers.  The Minister should sanction such magistrates.

Do you recognise the fact that Ngwasiri withdrew all the cases against the SDF?

He did not say that he was withdrawing the cases. He said that he had withdrawn himself from the cases. He cannot withdraw any one case from the court. He disengaged only himself.

So, are you continuing with the cases?

The cases are continuing, Sir.
 

Do you have any locus standi given that Ngwasiri is the one who initiated legal actions against the party for dismissing him?

He did not put the cases in court as an individual. He put them there on behalf of the SDF and, now, as Chairman of the SDF, I will continue with them. Section 12(9) says that the Chairman of NAC takes over the functions and powers of NEC. As soon as NEC was elected, he ceased to have powers since the powers had come back to me as Chairman of the party.

You were making a lot of noise about the party; you seem to have gone quiet for a long time. What is going on?

Yes, we do not work with noise when educating the people. We are in conference rooms answering questions and trying to educate the people.

You talked about your NEC meeting, when did that hold?

It was about two weeks ago.

As a journalist, I did not hear about it, was that in secret?

No, it was not in secret because we announced it to our people. It is not for you journalists, it's for members of NEC. When we came out of it, we made a communiqué and sent to newspapers, which they published.

Do you think you can really succeed in fighting Fru Ndi in this struggle?               

Well, they are violent people; maybe they are planning to kill me. I heard about a meeting in Bamenda wherein Fru Ndi said he would deal with Muna.

That is a very strong allegation. Do you have evidence?

I said that is what I heard. I am not afraid. You people know me the way I fought for freedom of the Bar Council in this country. I fight intelligently. I don't make noise in the daytime and go and eat with the CPDM at night. People know how I fought for Yondo Black.

Comments

[Kaiser William]

Why don't you go ahead and for your own party rather than trying to creat a faction of the SDF. Evil man.

[AngloCameroonian]

I rushed here to read about the 500m deal. Nothing featured! Rumours, backstabbing, envy, blackmail...endless indeed.
Has the SDF started eating with the CPDM only after you left the party?

It's a blame game. He is fighting to restore his image by bringing another person down.
Even Peter could not accept that he will deny Jesus. That is to say either Jesus was joking or he was lying.
If you find yourself down the inappropriate lane, make a u-turn. It's but natural to fall-out on opinions.

Dignity once lost cannot be restored, no matter what. Reconcile Muna and go back to the Party and safe it as you claim. You cannot win any election in a quarter in Ngyen-Mbu. You're an intellectual use ur faculty.

All is not lost yet but sooner or later your people will burn your house if you're not careful.

[pat]

I think what Barrister Muna should do is to create his party because from all indications he is fighting a lost battle in the name of "the chairman of the SDF party".Creating a party,he would obviously have supporters like the militants who were dismissed from the SDF and those who share his ideologies.Together they should be able to draw up strategies on how to woe more supporters.He should have lessons to learn from matured politicians like Garga Haman.

[pat]

I think what Barrister Muna should do is to create his party because from all indications he is fighting a lost battle in the name of "the chairman of the SDF party".Creating a party,he would obviously have supporters like the militants who were dismissed from the SDF and those who share his ideologies.Together they should be able to draw up strategies on how to woe more supporters.He should have lessons to learn from matured politicians like Garga Haman.

[vally England]

''Fru ndi left the Star building, Inoni's office with an envelope, when asked he said it is his private affair between him and the prime minister''

Yes,evidences of Fru Ndi dinning with cpdm must be in black and white so what is this?
The dictator is finished.
Vally England.

[Klemenceau-Shalom]

Hahaha Vally the English boy,

You have come out of your hiding? You have a voice because your master in crime Ben Muna said Fru Ndi came out of the prime minister's office with an envelope?

You and your masters in crime Ben Muna and co always have unfounded evidences against Fru Ndi. You will stop at nothing to implicate Fru Ndi.
Hear you:
“Yes,evidences of Fru Ndi dinning with cpdm must be in black and white so what is this?”

Evidence from Muna’s imagination, eh? Crooked people!!!!!!!!!

Mr Vally England, do you think you and your master in crime Ben Muna will run forever. You assisted Ben Muna with 500.000cfa frs to facilitate the killing of Diboule. Yang Philemon is protecting your partner in crime while you are hiding in England eating "British beef" or what you called it. Hahahaha, you guys will never run forever. You are a criminal and you will answer for your crime at the appropriate time.
Shalom
Klemenceau

[Fon]

Klemenceau,
Why are you wasting time with a desparate man. I can only appreciate him for his courage to resurface again.
Klemenceau; do you think any of the personalities that were invited by the prime Minister left without petrol money? Was it not their right to receive an envelope for petrol? Why on earth should someone think that Fru Ndi alone should be the one to refuse reimbursement for money he has spent on a national issue? Why on earth should someone linked that to bribery?
Even if provision was not made for their transport, it was their right to ask. No where on earth will any government invite such personalities on such a national issue and will not budget for their transport, lodging and feeding.
In general, do you know how much money was budgeted and spent to realised ELECAM?
Only a big fool can open his filthy mouth on such an issue.NONSENSE!

[Fritzane Kiki HK]

"Do you think you can really succeed in fighting Fru Ndi in this struggle?
Well, they are violent people; maybe they are planning to kill me. I heard about a meeting in Bamenda wherein Fru Ndi said he would deal with Muna"

This is the only terrorist measure to eliminate Muna else Fru Ndi will not succeed.Since both of them know what they get from Bi Mvondo their cousin at Mvomeka.Lol 'ils se moquent de qui?.Yeye politics in Cameroon 'chop a chop'.Time will tell.....never too late....

Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong

[Atangha]

Dear All
Muna doesn't exist even in Yaounde! Those who blindly followed him are coming back to the SDF; some of them are accepted as new members while others are rejected. Muna was recently in Garoua alongside Maidadi Sadi trying to woe the SDF members there to vote for their own party, the UNDP.

We're told that in the not-too-distant future, Muna will launch his new party. I hear it'll either be call Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) or People Progressive Party (PPP). Muna et al have forgotten that people are tired with their false allegations against the person of H E JFN. If they have nothing to offer, why not retire and stay quiet, just like the likes of Takoudjou Christophe, Mahamat Soulemane, etc.

Chers & let's strain every nerve of ours and get our names in the electoral register. If we do this, we may beat this orligarchy this time around with or without MINATD/ONEL

Atangha

[Klemenceau-Shalom]

Kiki

I know your prayer is for Fru Ndi not to succeed. You better stop this hite and run game you are playing here. We know where you belong but you will be dismayed and will surely go into hiding or pretend to be neutral as usual.
Fru Ndi will triumph and evil wishes against him will come to nought.
Hear you
"This is the only terrorist measure to eliminate Muna else Fru Ndi will not succeed.Since both of them know what they get from Bi Mvondo their cousin at Mvomeka.Lol 'ils se moquent de qui?.Yeye politics in Cameroon 'chop a chop'.Time will tell.....never too late...."

You are deceiving yourself. Keep on fooling around thinking that people are fools.

Shalom
Klemenceau

[abili liese]

I am so surprised that Barrister Ben Muna doesn't realise that he really has nothing to tell the Cameroonian people that can make them see him as less mean.If he ever thinks he can be a true poloitician and get the trust of the people, let him first of all start by winning the trust of his homeplace(Momo Division).

Being an outcast here, how can he think he will win love and admiration outside? One think is very obvious, there is no way he is ever going to win against JFN,it's the honest truth about it.

He says his party is working silently, are they devils and ghosts that are invisible?. I don't know any political entity in the world that doesn't make its campaigns known to the public to get more votes in elections.

PLEASE, use you intellectualism and help cameroonians not put drag them to stupidness.