By Kini Nsom
Barrister Ben Muna, who claims to be leading a faction of the SDF party, has declared that he has dissolved the party into the Alliance of Progressive Forces, APF, a fusion of five opposition parties which he was chosen to head.
Muna made the declaration to The Post at the launching of APF at the Yaounde Conference Centre, Sunday, March 25.
The Barrister argued that 'his' faction of the SDF is the authentic party, which emerged from the Yaounde Convention on May 26, 2005, in conformity with the party's constitution.
Muna said the faction emerged following the convening of the Convention by the National Advisory council, NAC, led by its then Chairman Hon. Prof. Clement Ngwasiri.
He also claimed that he was leading the authentic SDF because the Northwest Court of Appeal quashed the judgment of Justice Jack Emile Ambo, which restrained him from acting as SDF Chairman.
Ben Muna said he was optimistic that the Mfoundi High Court would rule in his favour. He said he was leading the legitimate party in Yaounde to join the APF to fight for the plight of suffering Cameroonians.
He also said his initiative has suffered so many threats, claiming that militants who were coming from the Northwest and Southwest to attend the meeting were intercepted by the police, on the instructions of his opponents who are in league with the Biya Government.
AFP launch
The launching of the APF was attended by militants and delegates from all the ten Provinces. The parties that agreed to merge were the "SDF" headed by Ben Muna, Progressive Party led by Jean Pahai, the Social Democratic Movement led by Souleyman Mahamat and the Movement for Democracy and Progress, led by Moukouri Maka and the Alliance of Progressive Forces, led by Maidadi Seidou.
Speaking at the occasion, Maidadi said all the five parties agreed on the condition for fusion. He said he and other party leaders had decided to sacrifice personal interests in the interest of Cameroon and its people.
Describing the event as historic, Maidadi said it didn't matter how many parties were involved. What was important, he said, was that an opposition grouping had been formed, calling on Cameroonians to sacrifice in order to bail themselves from socio-political and economic bondage.
Maidadi literally burst out in tears as he recalled the tragic deaths of the martyrs of democracy, notably Gregoire Diboule and Samuel Tchwenko, whom he described as victims of political fanaticism.
He called on Cameroonians to be ready to fight for true democracy as he voluntarily stepped down as AFP Chairman.Ben Muna, on his part, described the moment as an emotional one. He called on his supporters to keep aside all personal ambitions and join the AFP.
"We want the world to know that Cameroon is not only made up of selfish people, embezzlers with fat accounts in Swiss banks," Ben Muna said. Souleyman Mahamat was particularly vexed by what he saw as subterfuge by Biya and his collaborators at the National Assembly to violate the Constitution and make the incumbent President remain in power for life.
He called on Cameroonians to rise up like one man and stop the gimmicks.Moukouri Maka, MDP Chairman, said the fusion took place after several failed attempts by Cameroon's opposition parties to work together. He recalled in particular the defunct National Coordination of Political Parties and Associations formed in 1991.
He equally recalled the birth of the MDP after the 1992 Garoua UNDP Congress. Moukouri called on political parties and the civil society to join hands with AFP, which, he said, remains the only hope for Cameroonians. "Cameroon is sick, very sick. We need a party that will uproot the predatory Biya regime," he said.
Muna 'Chosen' Chairman
The high point of the meeting was a presentation of a consensus list of the party leaders. The list had Ben Muna as National Chairman assisted by five Vice Chairmen: Moukouri as First Vice Chairman, Pascal Zamboue as Second Vice Chairman, Souleyman Mahamat as third Vice Chairman and Jean Pahai as fourth Vice. Maidadi Seidou emerged as Secretary General.
It was generally agreed that two persons would be chosen after deliberations to make up six Vice Chairpersons to reflect the geopolitical representation of Cameroon.The political leaders said they were sacrificing their personal ambitions on the altar of national interest, without caring whether a party was big or small.By press time deliberations were still going on.
They can make everyone involved to be vice chair person, but we need to understand what they are out for. Let them publish their memorandum of coalision so that Cameroonians can read and decide for themselves if it makes sense to vote APF in the up-coming elections that they definitely will want to participate in. Party party party here and there.
Posted by: Cheboy | Saturday, 31 March 2007 at 06:00 AM
Hmmmmmmmmm, is this history repeating it self or what? Some body taking “us” again to join what? Isn’t it said that once beaten twice shy? That a burned child always dreads the fire, that if you had been bitten by a snake you should be afraid of a worm? Oh oh oh, have I even forgotten about what this lady of Santa told me? That it is said over there that a ‘baby snake is a snake’? Yes, something like “pikin snake na snake”.
And so the father was a trader of men, selling a whole Southern Cameroonian Nation ‘over there’. Here he comes again, bargaining on the bid to recertify the deal so that the present generation and the next will continue sinking deep into the assimilation of La Republic du Cameroun.
Can these people not change their business so as to start selling cows or something? Who on earth has given them a whole people as a market commodity to do business with.
Let me join the author of the article above asking this question. Where is the manifesto document defining the fusion deal between him and who so ever?
However, what worries me much is not even that he is bargaining to sell us for he doesn’t have us in the first place but because he makes careless public statements such as he has dissolved the SDF for ….He can not even be reasonable enough to pretend that it was the decision of his NEC or NAC or what ever. Ben Muna decided to dissolve the…It sounds not only crazy but ridiculous.
Wonders will never end.
Bugiba
Posted by: Bugiba | Saturday, 31 March 2007 at 05:33 PM
Please Mr Muna, why don't you just stay quiet and stop confusing Cameroonians? Everything begins at home, i hope the people of Mbengwi will support you then the rest of us will follow
Posted by: abili liese | Sunday, 01 April 2007 at 05:37 AM
Muna you are a disgrace to the lawyer profession. You just make people laugh and it shows how you like power but sorry you will not have it the way you are going. Get the people of Mbengwi to support you and then we will know you are serious.
Are you not satisfied with being a lawyer? You cannot make a politician let alone a good one.
Posted by: bamenda | Sunday, 01 April 2007 at 10:51 AM
Muna again on the move.From the authentic SDF to APF.Sorry for him.His supporters on the forum should watch out for this politcal monster.By desolving his so-called authentic sdf, Muna has again x-rayed himself as a political lunatic without a vision. One wonders what will become of blind fellows and supporters like Nyah Margerate, Mukete, Ben B., Valley of England etc.These rather naive but confused felllows without political forseight should be gnashing their teeth in complete bewilderment of what has suddenly become of their authentic chairman.Muna remains a big dissappointment to many Cameroonians. From one mischievous act to another. Muna's next move will be to banish himself to a jungle somewhere in the Equatorial forest.Let the world continue to watch and observe this fellow.Thank God he has finnally realised that the sdf is a rock and that even John Fru Ndi cannot destabilise the sdf.Who does he think in his or her right senses can join forces with a group of political sellouts of his so-called alliance? Cameroonians are sick and tired of these political eunochs or do we call them political lunatics or feymen? He is a liar of the first order.Does the name Muna mean anything to anybody? Shame to him.
Posted by: knganjo | Sunday, 01 April 2007 at 11:34 AM
This party, like the soo called authentic SDF headed by NJFN is another creation of the Biya regime to colour La Republique as a multi-party democracy. Southern Cameroonians need to stay very far from such immoral political institutions that are geared towards legitimising the colonisation of the Southern Cameroons.
Posted by: rexon | Sunday, 01 April 2007 at 02:39 PM
Fellow Country men,has the Southern Cameroons organized any elections? Any body talking about any election now is like a slave who have said well let us manage.
Muna or call another one say Ni John,there is no difference in their egoistic assimilation ideologist, except on their abbreviations APF and SDF.They move together Muna is like the car that want to take Southern Cameroonians back to La Republique Du Cameroun and Ni John is the driver.
Lets forget about what happens between this car and its driver please.If they are lucky that some blind people jet into their car let them thank their gods and go for their money from Yaounde. MK the Southerner
Posted by: mk the southerner | Sunday, 01 April 2007 at 07:04 PM
Muna has finally taken a landmark decision.A one-in-a-life-time and dynamic move towards a democratic change.That's for sure...most of SDF sympartisers will be jubilating now thinking the problem has been solved since Muna dissolved the SDF and left the party to the supposed 'chairman',and joined his fellow prominent,opposition party leaders,and is immediately nominated chairman!!His charismatic leadership skills will be exercised in the upcoming presidentials since he is not admired 'at home' he will be recognised abroad.
This is a good move from Muna who had realised hitherto that the SDF and it's general objectives was stagnant and unchangeable since its creation...However,he has expressed his dissatisfaction,discontentment and disappointment for not working with his ash-rival NJFN any more,a big blow for NJFN who has been isolated by most of his closed collaborators,henchmen and party bigwigs for claiming he is the 'life chairman' and the only 'Founding Father' of the party.
Muna's role in the party was glaringly clear but since his ideologies were more opposed than accepted he was seen as a traitor than a contributor,what next?I hope his new frontline party will go in for a just cause and accomplish the goals the SDF had been struggling and yet still to finish.I know he is a man of few words but action and his idea of working with other opposition party leaders is to have a diversify opinion towards kicking off that Mvomeka king and possibly making Cameroon was it is supposed to be.
Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong
Posted by: Fritzane Kiki HK | Sunday, 01 April 2007 at 10:49 PM
fellow brothers and sisters can we forget about this Muna Ni John stuff and concentrate on what will radder help the Southern Cameroonians of tomorrow?. There is no difference between Ni John and Muna.Some of you guys are talking as if you have already registered for this doom called elections,If so please rivers thy doom.
Even should any of them takes power today you and i will still be sailing tomatoes in the markets,University graduates will still be idling around the Do's offices doing nothing, and will keep on delivering children in their father's houses. But with a free Southern Cameroons, my country men foreigners will even scramble to get inn for jobs just like Europeans scrambled for Africa and you and i most be employed in one of the various opportunities. A land where youths from La Republique and other countries will be looking for a means to marry your sister just to jet papers.Let us come together and forget about elections which only go to benefit just the few. Take for instance during the time of the SDF there existed the supporters group made up off mostly hackers able strong men and women.It is this same group that were throwing stones on police men sleeping in NI John's house to protect him.Look at were Ni and his family are, look at were these young strong men and women of this group are.Some of them loosed their lives and parts of their bodies, now with SDF on top these guys with loosed hands and legs go round town begging for ends meet with Fru Ndi passing that direction every day.My country brethren the Fru Ndi of the 90's is not the same one you see now like wise SDF which is only an abbreviation. Lets forget about these rubbish and fight for a country you and i can be proud of. Thanks Mk the Southerner.
Posted by: mk the southerner | Monday, 02 April 2007 at 07:06 AM
SDF "dissolved"? This must be breaking news to Rexon as his dream has come true.
This is really an interesting news item. I am surprised to hear that there was still a party like Social Democratic Movement led by Souleyman Maha. He is one of those who censured Fru Ndi and said he was the one retarding progress within the SDF. What has he achieved since his party was formed and given that he has the freedom to propel ideas he couldn´t under Fru Ndi?
I am happy that Muna has taken this decision; one which will short off his mouth for ever in the coming days. He is now chairman, let see who he will blame when he will fail as it is something obvious.
Those who keep running their mouths hear will soon realise that the political terrain in Cameroon is a difficult one.
Posted by: Fon | Monday, 02 April 2007 at 09:45 AM
Dear ALL,
Wonders shall never end! How can Ben Muna claimed that he has dissolved the SDF when the whole world and beyond know that the SDF is alive and forging stronger ahead? Only mad people will make such fallacious claims. After failing to create a faction or distabilise the SDF, Muna had no other choice than a face-saving venture by claiming that he has "dissolved" the SDF. A few opportunists and political lightweights met at Palais des Congrés and declared an "Agence France Presse" in the name of an Alliance. They expected many "political leaders" and when this wasn't the case, they could only do what the did. Where on earth will a political organisation operates with 5 Chairpersons and a Secretary General? I see this only in the Muna's world. His calculations are that when more people come, they will be made Organising, Communication Secretaries, etc.
Mr. Yondo Marcel of MLDC discovered that this people were tricksters & backed out; the party of the late Samuel Eboua MDP has dissociated herself from the "grande alliance". They said their Chairman, Moukouri Maka resigned and joined AFP and that the party has not been dissolved. On the whole, what was this AFP before now? Who was Maidadi before joining the SDF? Without much ado, the field is where politics is done. We're waiting for Muna in Ngien-Mbo, Mbengwi, Momo and the North West, etc. to this effect.
All in all, it's no news here in Cameroon especially Yaounde that Muna is the "National Chairman" of AFP. The Francophone press finally discovered Muna & have since been disnouncing him. Many callers on Magic FM said they knew the role his father played in the destruction of this country; his son has been doing the same thing and so he's of no consequence. Canal 2 that has been making news out of Muna announced (on Canal Presse) that Muna & Co. were meeting to form an "Alliance" at Palais des Congrés. A week later Canal Presse presenter Joly Koum was ashamed(?) to give their veiwers a feedback of the said meeting.
That aside, I want to express my profound gratitude to all of us who fought and defeated Muna & Co. on and outside this forum. Let's use the same solidarity and commitment and chase the Biya kakistocracy out of power, with or without MINAT/D during the upcoming elections.
Atangha
Posted by: Atangha | Monday, 02 April 2007 at 01:23 PM
Between 1952 and 1970, French soldiers murdered some 500.000 Camerounians – Bassas and Bamilekes in the main – in the jungles of French Cameroun.
The mass slaughter of what was then the Army for the Liberation of Kamerun (ANLK), led by a certain Martin Singap, was executed with the blessing of the now-dead Ahmadou, Ahidjo, then president of Cameroun.
Whole villages in Bamileke Cameroun were napalmed by the French Army. Says French pilot, Max Bardet, who participated in some of the mass murders in the jungles. “They killed anything between 300.000 to 400.000 people; a veritable genocide. They virtually annihilated a tribe. It was a matter of spears versus rifles. The natives had no chance and they were butchered exactly like Attila the Hun erased villages.”
French Defense Minister at the time, Pierre Guillaumat reveals that Ahidjo’s mentor at the time; Foccart dispatched a veritable war machine against the Bamilekes in Cameroun. “Foccart played an important role in this business,” says Guillaumat. “ Between them Ahidjo, Foccart and the French Secret Service crushed the Bamilekes.”
French military information, now unclassified, reveals that Foccart sent out five divisions, one tank unit, T26 bombers, and a veteran of the ill-fated Indo-China campaign, General Max “The Viking” Briand to savage the Camerounian nationalists.
Charles Van de Lanoitte, Reuters correspondent or Douala (1960-1961) says in one swoop some 40.000 people were killed in bassaland. Arrested nationalists were tortured to death and buried in mass graves. The greatest nightmare for the natives was to be arrested for those arrested never came back alive.
The balançoire, a torture system wherein natives were tied upside down and then flogged on the genitals as they swung from end to end was used massively in French Cameroun.
Bassas and Bamilekes involved in the independence struggle were arrested in their numbers and tortured to death. The death chambers were the infamous BMM (Brigades Mobiles Mixtes) cells scattered all over Francophone Cameroun. The torturer-in chief was no other than the late Fochive Jean.
The French Secret Service (the service for External Documentation and Counter-Espionage) created a local arm in Cameroun to fish out the Camerounian nationalists.
http://www.postwatchmagazine.com/2004/07/g...ist_africa.html
www.SouthernCameroonsIG.org
Posted by: rexon | Monday, 02 April 2007 at 04:42 PM
Rexon,
What's the point? This is no news to Progressive Cameroonians. That's why we will never let this happen again in our motherland.
Um Nyobe, Ernest Ouandjie, Felix Moumie and many other Patriots will have their right place in our history. It's just a matter of time...
Progressive Cameroonians believe in ONE CAMEROON, ONE COUNTRY with Justice for ALL.
Playing Cameroonians against one another will never work again.
Rexon, join our fight to transform our Country into a modern, progressive democracy.
Stop the song of hate and division. We will ALL win!
Vive la Republique du Cameroun!
May God Bless a united, strong and democratic Republic of Cameroon!
Riccardo
CAADIM (CAmeroonians Against the DIvision of our Motherland)
Posted by: Riccardo | Monday, 02 April 2007 at 08:46 PM
Fon,
You know Rexon has never known that the cooking pot for the lizard is the cooking pot for the chameleon.He is completely devastated because the Sdf that was dissolved is surprisingly the SDF of his dear Pa.You know Rexon said here that when his Pa Tita was with Fru Ndi ,nobody accused him of being in the Scnc,but now that he is enjoying a second honeymoon with Muna,they tell lies about him.Fon,i`m forseeing a scenario where Vally of England is going to take a rope and follow Saddam Hussein to the gallows.Just read the cut and stitch that Professor Kiki Fritzane posted above,and you will see how shame can easily drive him to his grave.He`s completely listless that he starts asking rhetorical questions like, what next? Fon,rather than waist time on people that have completely smeared themselves with feaces,and have been comprehensively defeated,lets help them analyse for them the moral ,and political implications of the shame that Muna has brought on them.
First imagine the son of a Statesman,a
Legal Luminary,and a man from a powerful family surrendering his manhood to a political nonentity,and an unknown entity like Maidadi.Muna gives us the image of a person who dodges,who taunts the country`s legal system,and finally takes refuge under the banner of inconsequential illusionists.
Muna tells us that he is still waiting for the courts to pass judgement maybe in his favour,and at the same time trumpeting the desolution of the SDF.Which party are the courts going to talk about now that the SDF is dissolved? At a personal level,how would a Lawyer refuse to go before the State Council to answer questions,and at the same time have faith in the courts that are headed by these same guys?
The political implications are clear.
Muna knows that he is nothing,and has also looked for somebody who looks like him to tie a knot.Else ,which would have been the the name to retain after the fusion ,SD..or AFP? The smaller party would have ceded ground.The second political implication is that Muna,and those responsible for the murder of Djiboule( Zamboue,Pahai,Mengue etc) are in a bid to slip away from justice by hiding under a completely new name.Else
how can we reconcile the fact that they are all lined up as Vice Presidents.
The next idea has to do with having a political base.Coalitions,and alliances have always failed in Cameroon,how more of a loose alliance of political lightweights.
In the north,people like Maidadi form parties,to be potential choirboys of the Presidential Majority,and to rundown any force or party that will be a threat to their North/south axis in Cameroon.Ii it by design,or Muna has knowingly joined his pals
to perrenise the French grip on us ,something he has been accused of time and again.
Muna got air of the fact that his imaginary SDF could not be admitted to enter for the imminent elections,he therefore lay
prostrate in front of this member of the North/south axis that Biya dares not bandy looks with.With Maidadi's presence, everything went through MINADT hitchfree.
The coalition of the Failed that Muna ,and his French agents have founded will be sanctioned accordingly by the people as time goes by,and whether Muna erroneously think he can hide his head in the sand,he will be brought to justice subsequently.
Finally ,Fon as for Rexon,i heard him happing about letting go any criticisms about the SDF.I think his advisers have made a wrong choice.He should continue.Fru Ndi is not dead,and the SDF likes making people dash for a hiding place as Muna is now doing.This makes them not to forget the fact that it is difficult to talk politics.
Posted by: Watesih | Tuesday, 03 April 2007 at 02:18 AM
What nonsence!!! This Muna is a joke. Power hungry and stupid. He should think of what happenened to Adamou Ndam Njoya and his manipulated coaliton in the last elections. Fru ndi beat him hands down. Even in his own village.Muna will face exactly that. The worst post i have read here is that were some one is discouraging people from registering to vote.Those are exactly the kind of people sent by La Republic to come here and corrupt the minds of positive thinking cameroonians. Secondly, this Rexon of a guy and all others supporting the division of Cameroon are just fighting a battle which is already lost from the start. Cameroon will never be devided. Rexon get this into your seperative brain. I call for all Cameroonians to go out there and register massivley and make a change. Even if the elections a rigged it will set up and alarm.
Posted by: Francis/Germany | Tuesday, 03 April 2007 at 02:26 AM
Ricardo
It's unpragmatic on your part that for almost five years I have known you on this forum you've continued with such shortsightedness and rhectorics. You might've been energized this time around by the current SDF frolics and fuzz .
Listen to yourselve.."Progressive Cameroonians believe in ONE CAMEROON, ONE COUNTRY ..."
Progression is a dependent variable which is a function of many independent variables.
1. What are the ingredients of national unity?
2.What are the elements of progression or progressive democracy?
Dont take the SDF to embolden your position. Go ask those SDF's of the Southern Cameroon extraction the hell they go through as any other Southern Cameroonian.
Progressives follow the wishes of the people and time. Maybe you call yourselve conservatives for the maintainance of the status quo.
Lets see how far you will go with the SDF fuzz to buttress your points.
Posted by: tayong | Tuesday, 03 April 2007 at 05:14 AM
to me i dont see any reason for people to conderm muna for forming another political party to fight for change in the motherland.dont underestimate the man.he can make things happen.but my problem with muna is who gave him the right to dissolve the SDF.politicians like himself think that they own political parties?am not sure,i thought the(political parties) are the peoples entities.that said i hope muna would succeed in joining the likes of the SDF,to be strong and effective opposition parties and not just business organisations.
mr Tayong,yes,progression is a dependable variable in a said hypotesis and it is left to the people of cameroon to manipulate certain state affairs and policies so that we can be progressful as a nation.this is not easy but the way forward is for us to put things in place whereby we can live like united nation in all aspects as the word entiles.we must start by advocating unity.peace all.
Posted by: espoir | Tuesday, 03 April 2007 at 05:56 AM
Ni Ben,
Good riddance.
Posted by: Feli | Tuesday, 03 April 2007 at 08:29 AM
Kiki
Please stop robbing yourself in mud. I told you here that you are bitter with Fru Ndi because one of yours was dismissed from the SDF you claimed not to be interested in politics. You told this forum how you were not in support of Muna and co.
Maybe you write not knowing that you will expose yourself. Please don't be so chicken hearted. No one will beat you up for supporting Muna. You will be called to order only when you write to blackmail so as or paint others black.
You can deny words you used orally and which were never recorded but you can never deny written words. Hope you won't eat your words with time.
Shalom
Klemenceau
Posted by: Klemenceau-Shalom | Tuesday, 03 April 2007 at 10:04 AM