By Christmas Ebini (Originally published on Ebini's blog)
If the adage “all that glitters is not gold” be true for most settings in the human life, then it will be a hundredfold true for all that is Cameroonian political landscape outside the arena of the power of political incumbency. Entrance into Cameroonian politics, outside of the benefits of presidential appointments and nurturance, has never been projected as an enterprise of ambitious men and women but one for saintly citizens, with golden hearts, on charitable ministries, with messianic callings to benevolence and a monopoly to all the right answers and qualities to solve every problem of society, and rid mankind of all its ills and vices.
If the adage “all that glitters is not gold” be true for most settings in the human life, then it will be a hundredfold true for all that is Cameroonian political landscape outside the arena of the power of political incumbency. Entrance into Cameroonian politics, outside of the benefits of presidential appointments and nurturance, has never been projected as an enterprise of ambitious men and women but one for saintly citizens, with golden hearts, on charitable ministries, with messianic callings to benevolence and a monopoly to all the right answers and qualities to solve every problem of society, and rid mankind of all its ills and vices.
To this they preach the much missed and awaited “sermon on the hills”, promising tolerance, openness, accountability, equality, a different kind of politics and a different kind of citizenship. As soon as our new messianic political prophets and Sheppard call on us to rally for a new political era, an inner circle of both political hawks and neophytes surround him or her and start sharing the spoils of what they have not yet earned. They will then preach and practice to our prophet the gospel of exclusionary politics, the same gospel that has politically kept us asunder and united the political might of an un-producing and corrupt incumbency. Soon the forces that must rally behind an emerging political prophet start seeing the prophet and his message in the clothing of his/her divisive and self-centered disciples. One thing that I have come to experience about the Cameroonian soul is that it does not have the capability of concealing inner thoughts for too long. It soon becomes readable too soon and this not really out of design but out of the impatience of our being, the fear of the other person thinking alike and the overwhelming weight of our evil thoughts towards our fellow Cameroonians, whom we believe we can only stand by pushing them down.
Now do not get me wrong. I am not saying some of our existing and emerging political leaders do not mean well or they are not good people who may steer us towards the right direction. What I am saying is that they are themselves desperate for follower ship and they allow themselves to be boxed in and hemmed in by the early comers, who do over-extend themselves from the beginning to claim total and complete ownership. I am not also saying that there are no political leaders who may have genuine hearts for charitable engagements. What I am saying is: some methods of charitable engagements can sometimes become a façade of respectable behavior that does not involve our hearts. This can make our efforts become cold and unimpressive among all the outward performance as we congratulate ourselves that we are exceptionally good people doing good deeds. Putting our whole heart into doing lasting deeds has a lasting significant and impact. Just the appearance of doing good has less impact, is short lived and self-serving or self-centered.
I do not know what we want to remember and how well our memory serves us but it is 19 years since the Yondo Black trial and the slaying of six precious lives of children in the streets of Bamenda to force the hands of dictatorship and monolithic system to allow multiparty political structure to return to Cameroon after it was abolished in 1966. 1990 saw an end of one political era and the beginning of another, at least effectively on paper and in spite of the growing pains of political plurality, Cameroon as we knew it then prior to 1990 was never going to be the same again. Truth be told: democracy is a very expensive, complex and cumbersome project and it takes a deliberate quality of citizenry to embrace it and maintain it. The experiences of the Cameroonian setting clearly indicate that we still lack the right qualities to embrace and nurture a functioning democracy. The juicy fruits of democracy come with obligations and responsibilities. We only enjoy our rights and freedom, through taking our responsibilities and obligations seriously and respecting the rights and freedom of others. Unfortunately, to oppose politically and diplomatically in Cameroonian political culture is not very complex: all you do is show that you are always against everything people you oppose or do not like try to do or stand for.
Napoleon once said “history is a fable agreed-upon”. Although we cannot easily bundle up our past into Napoleonic fairy tales, our past do provide us with ingredients for baking the present and future. Our past experiences are tools for our present stories, with memories of both a psychological predisposition to situations as they arise. It gives us a road map on how we embrace hope and fear, assessing the vices and virtues in us. We continue to be a people who bask behind the shades of endless denial and escape from the painful experience of facing reality. In our politics, our Cameroonian politics, we continue to suffer the growing pangs of personality cult, greed, passive aggressive disorder and the inability to act in ways that will largely unite us for a common cause or objective. The SDF, SCNC and the general Cameroonian opposition have been down this path and remained blocked here for the past 19 years helplessly facing a solid wall without designing any exit route around it. Our past is looking at us again today as we enter yet another era into our political history. Our errors of yesteryears, those that divided us to the benefit of the status quo, can either be teachable lessons for us or we may keep repeating them and failing further.
In December 1992, Albert Mukong and I traveled from Cameroon to Europe and North America to lobby international support for political, economic and social change in Cameroon. We were representing the Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM). One of the tasks I had was to get the involvement and support of the South-westerners in the Diaspora. The Cameroonian Diaspora had come together to support the movement for political change in Cameroon, until a certain list was circulating in the USA, purported to be a list created for potential appointments into a possible SDF government. The trouble with that list was all the names of potential ministers (on the so called list) were from the northwest. This annoyed the south-westerners and they became suspicious of any political project that is led or initiated by north-westerners. During the two meetings we held with the south-westerners in the Washington DC area, I had a difficult time trying to convince them that our best political option is for the two Anglophone provinces to cooperate and work together. These sentiments still abound and it will only be wise for us to be cognizant of them and organize the new era in ways that these obstacles are taken care of and at least a working level of political trust is established amongst Cameroonians who do not support the continuation of the status quo and are prepared to work together towards effective and genuine political change and transition of political power.
We are yet faced with another opportunity as history beckons on us to prove our political relevance. We are today faced with challenges that can only be successfully addressed through our concerted or collective efforts. Some will say I am being intentionally provocative and maybe I am. I will rather start speaking and inciting attention towards the right direction than silently watch a repeat of yet another fabrication of a new leadership pool in a bubble and to have them, should they succeed, govern yet again in another path of stagnation, social injustice, inequality, nepotism and all the vices and practices that brought desperation to our nation and people.
The stakes are again high for us and for Cameroon, as we face yet another crossroad in the history of our nation and engage the search for a new and authentic leadership.
Now do not get me wrong. I am not saying some of our existing and emerging political leaders do not mean well or they are not good people who may steer us towards the right direction. What I am saying is that they are themselves desperate for follower ship and they allow themselves to be boxed in and hemmed in by the early comers, who do over-extend themselves from the beginning to claim total and complete ownership. I am not also saying that there are no political leaders who may have genuine hearts for charitable engagements. What I am saying is: some methods of charitable engagements can sometimes become a façade of respectable behavior that does not involve our hearts. This can make our efforts become cold and unimpressive among all the outward performance as we congratulate ourselves that we are exceptionally good people doing good deeds. Putting our whole heart into doing lasting deeds has a lasting significant and impact. Just the appearance of doing good has less impact, is short lived and self-serving or self-centered.
I do not know what we want to remember and how well our memory serves us but it is 19 years since the Yondo Black trial and the slaying of six precious lives of children in the streets of Bamenda to force the hands of dictatorship and monolithic system to allow multiparty political structure to return to Cameroon after it was abolished in 1966. 1990 saw an end of one political era and the beginning of another, at least effectively on paper and in spite of the growing pains of political plurality, Cameroon as we knew it then prior to 1990 was never going to be the same again. Truth be told: democracy is a very expensive, complex and cumbersome project and it takes a deliberate quality of citizenry to embrace it and maintain it. The experiences of the Cameroonian setting clearly indicate that we still lack the right qualities to embrace and nurture a functioning democracy. The juicy fruits of democracy come with obligations and responsibilities. We only enjoy our rights and freedom, through taking our responsibilities and obligations seriously and respecting the rights and freedom of others. Unfortunately, to oppose politically and diplomatically in Cameroonian political culture is not very complex: all you do is show that you are always against everything people you oppose or do not like try to do or stand for.
Napoleon once said “history is a fable agreed-upon”. Although we cannot easily bundle up our past into Napoleonic fairy tales, our past do provide us with ingredients for baking the present and future. Our past experiences are tools for our present stories, with memories of both a psychological predisposition to situations as they arise. It gives us a road map on how we embrace hope and fear, assessing the vices and virtues in us. We continue to be a people who bask behind the shades of endless denial and escape from the painful experience of facing reality. In our politics, our Cameroonian politics, we continue to suffer the growing pangs of personality cult, greed, passive aggressive disorder and the inability to act in ways that will largely unite us for a common cause or objective. The SDF, SCNC and the general Cameroonian opposition have been down this path and remained blocked here for the past 19 years helplessly facing a solid wall without designing any exit route around it. Our past is looking at us again today as we enter yet another era into our political history. Our errors of yesteryears, those that divided us to the benefit of the status quo, can either be teachable lessons for us or we may keep repeating them and failing further.
In December 1992, Albert Mukong and I traveled from Cameroon to Europe and North America to lobby international support for political, economic and social change in Cameroon. We were representing the Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM). One of the tasks I had was to get the involvement and support of the South-westerners in the Diaspora. The Cameroonian Diaspora had come together to support the movement for political change in Cameroon, until a certain list was circulating in the USA, purported to be a list created for potential appointments into a possible SDF government. The trouble with that list was all the names of potential ministers (on the so called list) were from the northwest. This annoyed the south-westerners and they became suspicious of any political project that is led or initiated by north-westerners. During the two meetings we held with the south-westerners in the Washington DC area, I had a difficult time trying to convince them that our best political option is for the two Anglophone provinces to cooperate and work together. These sentiments still abound and it will only be wise for us to be cognizant of them and organize the new era in ways that these obstacles are taken care of and at least a working level of political trust is established amongst Cameroonians who do not support the continuation of the status quo and are prepared to work together towards effective and genuine political change and transition of political power.
We are yet faced with another opportunity as history beckons on us to prove our political relevance. We are today faced with challenges that can only be successfully addressed through our concerted or collective efforts. Some will say I am being intentionally provocative and maybe I am. I will rather start speaking and inciting attention towards the right direction than silently watch a repeat of yet another fabrication of a new leadership pool in a bubble and to have them, should they succeed, govern yet again in another path of stagnation, social injustice, inequality, nepotism and all the vices and practices that brought desperation to our nation and people.
The stakes are again high for us and for Cameroon, as we face yet another crossroad in the history of our nation and engage the search for a new and authentic leadership.
Mr, Ebini we have spoken on repeated comments and we will persist.Patience is a virture, We lack commitment,tolerance,action and what have you? Politics of the stomach has ruin Cameroon.
My people say divided we fall,better still unity is strenght.Hitherto the North West and South west provinces are yet to put their differences in the waste paper basket to antagonize the common evil.
We lack faith and confidence to reason as a community,Force to dislocate the pillar of separatism that has destroyed a people.When SDF was created in 1990,we were there,we burnt our fingers to force multipartism into the troat of Mr Biya,Untill we discredit and abandon politics of "scrash my back i scrash your own".
Today resignation upon counter resignation is the order of the day, accusations,insults,position. I tell you Cameroonians are yet to espoused a culture of meritocracy and hardwork which is the route to success.We as a people are heading toward a common direction "utmost abyss".Shame,Shame, shame."It will never be Fru Ndi's Fight alone,its our struggle.
From a distance i can visualize Biyas come back with little resistance from the Cameroonian people. what a shame?I am ready for the worst lets unite our efforts and resources inorder to salvage a people.
Posted by: asafor | Friday, 27 November 2009 at 04:17 PM
Father Christmas, democracy is just an empty word as far as Cameroon and the rest of Africa is concerned. Again i say; democracy has never found it's way in Africa, as it has never been equitable. Instead of being a concept that would benefit all, it remains a leitmotif of a self-serving guild of kleptomaniac politicians and their supporters.
Democracy is as alien to Africa as the manipulative Christianity, and it fails to take into consideration the complexity involved in governing the continent. Africans must device their own model of governance which will cater for the vast realities and intricacies that are connected with governing the various embattled African countries, and this may not necessarily be termed democracy.
You are very correct about your tentative prescription for healing the dismal rift between the two disoriented Anglophone provinces. Anglophones deserve better in Cameroon, and a staggering five million people or so with a somewhat shared heritage can be quite a force to reckon with.
The current atmosphere of mistrust and acrimony will all but lower the Anglophone casket in it's final resting place, and future generations of Anglophone children shall inherit this shame and will wallow in even worse despair and misery if nothing is done now. Frankly, it really aghasts me that till date, the Northwest and Southwest provinces are still at daggers drawn with the kind of distressing acrimony that may all but exacerbate, at the very expense of a viable Anglophone destiny.
Southwesterners are bitter and hostile because they feel callously betrayed by a maniacal and compulsive junta that was championed by Bloodclaat Foncha and his bunch of 'Graffi' intransigent and blind followers. The tension that stemmed from this egregious blunder shall live to haunt Anglophones for generations, and the Cameroon government is all but elated about this, and shall always take keen advantage of this abject stupidity to toy with Anglophones like little infants.
Father Christmas, i hope you've prepared tons of gifts fi di Anglophone children. Jah bless di Anglophone father, mother, and child.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYBODY, AND HOPE TO MEET YOU ALL IN CAMEROON! MAY JAH BLESS YOU ALL AND YOUR FAMILIES BACK HOME.
Posted by: Ras tuge | Friday, 27 November 2009 at 06:52 PM
Let me see if I can put this correctly. I think if we branded our political system as "Democratic" we were trying to line our country with super powers in order to reap the proceeds of initiating such a transformation.
Now, can we unanimously allow TALENT to dominate the political scene in Cameroon? Is it even our wish? I mean, can we allow those who can best fill a gap to fill that gap? Can we allow 10 geniuses ( I mean real geniuses ) who are all from one small village to head 10 ministerial positions? I would say YES and Yes again; even though my small yes will face a mighty NO. However, what this NO does is a call for a rebranding of the political practice.
In relation to Ebini's article, the issue at stake is not whether all the potential ministers that were to be appointed by the SDF were from the North West province. The question is, who came up with the list? Was it Fru Ndi? How competent is he to do that? Only one point can prove this; TIME. Time has transformed Fru Ndi from a hero to a Caricature. So if that appointment had seen daylight we may have been engaged in a civil confrontation.
Cultural and regional diversity can be best handled by mayors and parliamentarians and not by ministers. If the rebranded political system decides otherwise, then ministerial positions must be shared equitably amongst the regions.
Posted by: Bob Bristol | Saturday, 28 November 2009 at 05:33 AM
Father Christmas,
Nice talk but as Stalin once stated "Those who count the votes are more relevant than those who vote". The same is true in Biya's Cameroon.
It is amazing that Paul Biya has been allowed to trick everyone, including the British Commonwealth and ex-PM Tony Blair, on the key issue of An Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for Cameroon.
"What chance has life when death is the physician?" - William Shakespeare. ELECAM is going to put the CPDM in charge unless there is a popular uprising. Cameroonians do not like uprisings!
Posted by: Kumbaboy | Saturday, 28 November 2009 at 04:20 PM
...its very worrying when people who can't criticize their autocratic traditional leaders who usurp their land and women, can't criticize their non-performing CPDM brethren in government, but are quick to insult their head of state....this hypocrazy has reached enormous proportion...we may be heading to the Rwandan route.....
Posted by: The Entrepreneur Newsonline Inc. | Sunday, 29 November 2009 at 08:06 AM
"What chance has life when death is the physician?" That is an excellent quote. There has to be good will and respect for democracy for democracy to work, otherwise committed pressure groups with clear objectives, and not political office is the way to go.
Regarding the Entrepreneur man or woman. You are just another Mille Collines, Konde lite genocidist. A stupid Southern Cameroonian.
Posted by: VA Boy | Sunday, 29 November 2009 at 02:14 PM
The problems described in this article are the sort of problems that anyone hoping to be the next President of Cameroon must be able to solve.
The suspicions between North Westerners and South Westerners is typical of the type of suspicions that can be expected between regions in a country.
This sort of event is not unnatural in a nation and is always to be expected wherever people exist. Neither is it unfortunate.
To the contrary, it is a healthy challenge for leadership contenders to take on to prove themselves... to include in their political manifestos for the Presidential campaigns.
Such suspicions are what constitute divisions in a country. And out of such division a leadership contender must create unity.
If we don't have the answers now, that is no problem either. In fact, this is why research exists!
If we had the answers to our problems, why carry out research?
A typical life situation: We have a problem we know absolutely nothing about. We seek a solution to this problem.
Our answer lies in conducting research. First, we seek to understand the problem by investigating it thoroughly. We seek practical information from published material. We also talk to people who are knowledgeable about some aspect of the problem or who have something useful to say.
This process is often erratic. Usually, there's a lot of dodgy information out there. We have to sift out the dirt to isolate or distil the useful stuff.
We then combine all the useful ideas from different sources into a synergistic solution that reflects the sources and (MOST IMPORTANTLY) that embodies our own perceptions and thoughts about what we've developed from the investigation.
This last point is critical. A solution is not a catalogue of useful ideas we've crystallised from different sources. A solution is a continuous piece of expose that employs the insights of the investigator to seamlessly integrate useful ideas from different sources.
The investigator's insights is what constitutes the necessary SYNERGY that cracks the problem. Otherwise we'd have an unconnected set of ideas that lead to nowhere.
A solution must be a continuous piece of meaningful thought to create understanding. And it is when this understanding has been created, and all the loopholes closed, that we can say we've cracked the problem.
Often, what appears to be a complex problem ends up having a simple solution. However, the path to finding this solution is often mountainous.
Posted by: Adolf A Agbormbai | Sunday, 29 November 2009 at 03:06 PM
When an investigator starts working on a problem he has no insights regarding the problem. He starts from a blank slate.
As he researches the problem his understanding picks up gradually, until at a certain deep stage this understanding becomes insight... a deep level of understanding of any problem. The investigator becomes an expert at that problem.
Insight is COMMON SENSE! When you reach the common sense level of understanding of any problem know that you've truly mastered that problem. Everything seems to fit together with ease. And you can communicate about that problem in simple, everyday language.
An investigator can be ANYONE. You don't need a PhD to investigate or research a problem. You don't need a PhD to be a candidate or leading candidate for the next Presidential elections. And you don't need a PhD to be the next President of Cameroon!
Posted by: Adolf A Agbormbai | Sunday, 29 November 2009 at 03:37 PM
The "Entrepreneur Newsonline Inc." does not understand that anyone in power for more than a quarter of a century and auto-framed to be the defacto "Life President" has usurped his contemporaries badly and completely lost sense of his core responsibilities. This includes a duty to facilitate power alternance to give his contemporaries a chance to lead the ship in a democratic state, while making a contribution from the back-benches as an inspirational statesman.
That is the acusation against Paul Biya himself. He is politically-corrupt in using the power of the Presidency to enact a life presidency. He is financially-corrupt in living a luxury life style on a so-called "sovereign budget" devoid of parliamentary oversight. When did he last make a state visit to any province to meet the people?
The issue now is not whether Mr Biya is the inviolate Head of State but about the State of his Head in turning the presidency of a Republic into a pseudo-monarchy. Cameroonians want change with power alternance to give others a chance - they don't want a King at the State House.
He is imperfect like all beings alive, hence the need for power alternance. The last perfect man has nailed to the cross.
Posted by: Kumbaboy | Sunday, 29 November 2009 at 04:19 PM
Very interesting piece. Though there is very little "this is new shit" in the article, your middle of the road kind of approach warrants a response. I agree with your analysis of the psychosis of the Cameroonian opposition movement, it's a very sad and depressing animal. I'm not a sympathiser of the ruling party, but I hate the opposition just as much. They have come to resemble everything they are against...!! It's so hard to tell the difference between the opposition and the ruling party!!
I'm concerned though, and I might be wrong, aren't we over blowing this S.W-N.W divide!? Is there really such a divide anymore than our cultural, ethnic and geopolitical identities? Seriously, who doesn't want to be free, happy, and have his basic human rights respected? True, Foncha and Endeley helped create and somehow legitimise those differences, but then again, we are looking at two unsophisticated politicians who were dealing with sophisticated issues with a politically naive electorate in the back drop. Why does the outcome surprise anyone?
Honestly, our history is a history of divisions and compromises, it's not going to change anytime soon. The so called N.W-S.W divide is not any more different from the Fulani-Kirdi divide, Ewondo-Bulu...etc. Just like some one commented earlier, it should be embraced and serve as a proving point for future leaders of Cameroon.
Democracy in Cameroon can be best described as elite competition at its best, sautéed with political attrition a go go... The opposition on the other hand is very... simple, say NO to everything Biya, demonise everything Biya, say NO to anyone who dares to disagree with them!! Who has time for this nonsense?
Posted by: Manny75 | Sunday, 29 November 2009 at 04:57 PM
Ras Tage,
This NS/SW debate makes no sense. Foncha and Ahidjo are dead. Their project was to forge a union, which though imperfect, can be made more perfect.
We in the SW are very complacent. I remember it was the maestro NW politician Achidi Achu who as PM baby-walked the anglophobic Mr. Biya to authorize the University of Buea. It was also the go-easy Physics teacher Azong Wara, also of the NW, who masterminded the GCE Board and this institution is based in Buea.
Now, what legacy have ex-PMs Paul Musonge and Chief Inoni both of the SW, left in SW, let alone in the NW? The NW birthed democracy to Cameroon with the slaying of 6 in Bamenda by Biya forces. Mr Biya founded his party there.
Give credit to where it belongs as a matter of historical fact. We must stop blaming the NW and look at issues with critical minds. NW boys and girls in the Diaspora are formidable powerhouses in real estate, politics, business and academics. We can lear from them instead of making irrational criticisms.
Posted by: Kumbaboy | Sunday, 29 November 2009 at 09:24 PM
Kumbaboy, ofcourse the North west and South west debate will make no sense if childish idiots like you would stop portraying one group as being better than the other.So according to you FONCHA left no legacy?Wasn't it because of his wrong choice that Anglophones are even debating today?South westerners are just as good and as prolific as North westerners and both must work in tandem and sort out their differences which are many.
Posted by: Ras tuge | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 07:11 AM
Ras Tage: Debaters like you throw sharp words with no substance - just dust and nor even smoke underlain by a fire. You can't say someone who has deeds is equal to an under-achiever. That is nonesense and a catalyst for complacency.
Of course Foncha has a legacy - the very substance of the NW/SW debate as you earlier cited. Foncha and Ahidjo created the modern Cameroon State, imperfect but can be perfected.
I ask us SWners again: Show me the Legacy of Inoni or Musonge in the SW!!! Let alone in the NW. Are you going to show us the bags of rice they sent to the SW for Christmas as Legacy.
Definitely, Achidi Achu's legacy is the University of Buea, and in collaboration with Azong Wara the GCE Board. SWners get jittery when asked tough questions. Show me the works of Inoni or Paul Musonge on the ground my brother. The NWners forced the hand of Biya into multiparty politics. Remember, even CRTV denied a party had been launched in Bamenda! They did it.
Deeds not words please! If you do not respect deeds then you will always curse the NW and Western Provinces but they aint waiting for you.
Posted by: Kumbaboy | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 07:38 AM
VA Boy & Kumba Boy, thank you for exposing the genocidaires [The Entrepreneur Newsonline] for what they are, but most of all for your clarity.
Posted by: Kamarad | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 11:27 AM
Our friend the honorable gentleman Ras Tuge says, "Democracy is Alien to Africa..., and it fails to take into consideration the complexity involved in governing the continent.
On the contrary his statement supports why we as a people/Nation need to perfect our union through the embracement, enactment, and practical application of True Democratic Principles.
First of all let me say that when I speak of, "perfecting our union," I am not speaking exclusively of perfecting the Union between Francophone and Anglophone Cameroons. I am also speaking of perfecting the union between Bafut, Fulani, Hausa, Pygmie, Ewondo, Douala, Bakweri, Fako, Bamileke, Bali in short the perfection of the union of the over 250 ethnic groups/tribes that make up our great country.
We are more than Anglofous et Francofous. We are a collection of once independent Tribal Nations that were brought together to form one Nation by people in a very distant land who did not seek our opinions or input. The only way this thing called Cameroon (or even Southern Cameroon and La Republique as seperate countries) is going to work is if all members of the nation feel that they are participating in the control of their joined destinies as a result of being Cameroonian.
For all of us to enjoy the blessings that this nation has been endowed by God with, we need to embrace and practice Democracy in its true form not this pseudo-Democracy aka Dictatorial Autocratic political system that we have been subjected to and forced to tolerate by selfish opportunistic individuals.
Merriam-Webster defines Democracy as the following:
1 a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority
b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
2 : a political unit that has a democratic government
3 capitalized : the principles and policies of the Democratic party in the United States
4 : the common people especially when constituting the source of political authority
5 : the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges
Ras Tuge, based on the definition above, can you honestly say that we are practicing democracy in most countries in Africa let alone our beloved Cameroon? It is safe to say that if we were practicing what is defined above we would not have the problems we have in Cameroon and Africa as a whole but I digress.
Let no one be fooled by the statements of a few that what we are doing in Cameroon is even a type of democracy. THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN CAMER IS NOT DEMOCRACY.
IT IS THE ILLUSION OF DEMOCRACY perpetuated by the current ruling political class.
Unfortunately some in the opposition parties are
just as guilty as the current government for they are not practicing democracy within their political parties. Recently one of the opposition parties MANIDEM elected a new party leader after its founder willingly stepped aside so maybe political maturity will occur one party at a time.
Democracy is a system in which those who are elected by the people are accountable to those who elected them. Those elected are to govern our nation and ensure that all its citizens have equal protection and rights under the law. They are to ensure that all citizens have equal access to the means that will enable them to become productive and prosperous citizens. They are to also to ensure that decisions/laws made on behalf of the nation are geared toward the progress and betterment of all its citizens.
Changing the president of the republic is not the only answer to our problem. Electing new parliamentarians (i.e. represantives of the masses) is another needed solution but most importantly we need a new constitution based on input from all the ethnic groups that make up Cameroon. We need a constitution that protects/enables the majority because it also protects/enables the minority.
WE NEED A NEW REPUBLIC based on a NEW CONSTITUTION that ensures that those elected to govern OUR COUNTRY are accountable to those who elected them. We need a constitution that ensures that those elected to govern will not be corrupted by the power that comes with being entrusted with governing a nation and its resources. We need a constitution that divides this power, incorporates checks and balances, and limits how long and how many times elected individuals can drink from the cup that contains the innoculating mimbo called power.
I personally can not support any political party or their presidential candidate if part of their political agenda/manifesto does not include a plan to achieve a democratic constitutional overhaul and national referendum through ballot on a new truly democratic principled constitution.
Our current constitution creates an environment where the plight of our nation can be held hostage by one selfish uscrupulous unpatriotic individual with the support of spineless members of the same political group/clique/entourage or inner circle singing praises and forwarding baseless, unwarranted, unearned and undeserved motions of support to a visionless under achieving political tyrant who's dream is to remain on a sabatical in Europe. Since Son Excellence loves living abroad so much the next constitution should appoint him as the parmanent Cameroonian Ambasador to France or any country of his choosing.
Seriousely there are certain rights that I believe should be guaranteed in this new constitution for our New Republic. They are:
1. All citizens of Cameroon 20 years or older no matter where they reside can vote for those individuals who are to govern the country.
2. Freedom of speech is guaranteed for all.
3. It is illegal for the state/government to imprison/arrest/detain anyone for longer than 48 hours without formaly informing that individual in a court of law during that time period of the crime he/she is being accused of. The individual must also be given access to legal representation and must be tried in court by a jury of his/her peers within 60 to 120 days of being detained. Torture by the government againts any citizen is also illegal.
4. The freedom of individuals to assemble and associate is guaranteed and so is the right to peacefully march or protest against the state or any other entity. It is illegal for the state to use lethal or excessive force through the police, military or any other state sponsored group against peaceful or unarmed civilians engaged in protesting or marching.
5. The constitution may only be amended after a 90% approval vote by members of parliament, 90% approval by the judges of the constitutional council, then 90% approval by national referendum, and finally signed into law by the president.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
All government officials must be citizens of Cameroon and elected through popular vote by all citizens of Cameroon of legal voting age.
I. THE PRESIDENT
A. Must be elected by winning over 50% of the popular vote of registered voters. Where this does not occur a run off between the 2 top contenders must occur within 60 days.
B. May serve a maximum of only 2 terms with each term lasting a maximum of 5 years or 1825 days each.
C. Is protector of the constitution and laws of the land. Assists the other branches of government in ensuring that all laws are enforced. Bills passed with less than 60% of the vote in parliament on become law when signed by the president.
D. The vice president is elected through popular vote by all citizens of the republic and has the same term limits as the president. The vice president only replaces the president if the president is incapable of performing his duties.
E. The president can appoint a cabinet of ministers but they may only serve in their post after being approved by a majority vote in parliament and are subject to performance review by parliament.
II. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW JUDGES
A. There shall be 11 constitutional judges. One from each of the 10 provinces/regions with each being elected by the citizens of his or her respective region.
B. The eleventh judge shall be the speaker of parliament and he/she shall only vote in order to break a 5 to 5 tie and must vote based on the consensus of the majority vote of parliament.
C. Constitutional Judges have the same term limits as the president.
D. They are to serve as the highest court of the land and are to ensure that all laws passed are constitutional and do not violate the individual rights of Cameroon citizens.
III. PARLIAMENT
I am still working on what I think the parliamentary make up should be but as stated earlier they shall all be elected by citizens of the areas they represent. They will be able to serve for 4 or 5 years but can only serve in parliament for atmost 3 terms. No governing official shall be appointed to serve us by one individual for our history has proven that one person can not be entrusted with such powers.
Governors right down to Divisional and Sub-divisional officers, mayors, council men etc shall be voted for by the citizens of their constituency.
This to me will ensure that our collective destiny as Cameroonians will be controlled by Cameroonians from the grass roots instead of this current situation where one individual and a handful of jackals have created a hell on earth for the masses of Cameroons descendents.
FREE
Posted by: The Ngwa Man | Tuesday, 01 December 2009 at 01:02 AM
FREE CAMEROON!
Posted by: The Ngwa Man | Tuesday, 01 December 2009 at 01:02 AM
The Ngwa Man, go back and read the first two paragraphs of my reaction on this article. Be patient and read through the lines before you leap in the dark man.
We have all read hordes of books in our quest for progressive answers to Cameroon's, and hence Africa's abject despondency. Nonetheless, what will make the difference shall undoubtedly be the ability to employ whatever popular alien concept in the critical and statistical analysis of our own realities as Africans. Clearly, democracy means different things to different people, and hence in Cameroon, the concept can never be exercised in exactly the same fashion as in say Scotland.
Lo and behold, democracy is not flawless! A concept that basically represents the rule of the majority is definitely guilty of partiality somewhat, especially when one takes into account the fact that the very notion of majority could just be marginal. By definition therefore, and in essence, Democracy is not, and will never be a rule of the people, for the people, and by the people.
However, in the absence of any other viable system of government, Democracy remains a rather imperative alternative. Karl Marx, in his communist manifesto suggested that Democracy was a system of government that would only survive till when a larger and more productive system takes over. And if that's true, then it is not a far-fetched idea for Africans to device their own realistic system of governance that may even deviate from the current democratic principles that we are all conversant with today.
All in all, the implementation of democracy in Africa has been delayed by innumerable problems that Africans themselves must come to terms with, eradicate and move forward. Time is running out!
Posted by: Ras tuge | Tuesday, 01 December 2009 at 03:58 PM
Ngwa Man,
Thanks for your wonderful insights. I particularly like this aspect of the definition of democracy:
Democracy is defined as...
"4 : the common people especially when constituting the source of political authority"
This confirms that in a democracy authority fundamentally resides in the people. When they elect a President or leader they temporarily lend that authority to the President/leader for the duration of his office.
Authority passes back to the people when the President's term of office expires. By consequence, during his reign, a President cannot exert authority over matters that happen after his reign.
We can see very clearly in this definition that Paul Biya has NO authority over anything to do with the forthcoming elections. His authority expires in 2011 and affect only matters whose impact are felt up to 2011. The forthcoming election impact the post-2011 period.
Authority for that general election resides in the Cameroonian people who must pull all the necessary steps to ensure that the right person gets to the Presidency.
Posted by: Adolf A Agbormbai | Tuesday, 01 December 2009 at 06:21 PM
Correction: 'Steps' in the last paragraph of the preceding commentary should be 'stops.'
___________________________________________________
Now Ngwa,
There is this aspect of your commentary that I have some issues with:
"All government officials must be ... elected through popular vote by all citizens of Cameroon of legal voting age."
It is practical to elect the leader or President, but impractical to elect all government officials.
You will notice that, in the West, this impracticality is resolved by trusting the leader to appoint his or her subordinates.
This works when the leader is trustworthy. And if the democratic system surrounding the election of the leader is rigorous and fair the leader can be trusted to appoint his subordinates.
For instance, when Obama was elected he was trusted to appoint his subordinates. But again you will remember that each appointment had to be vetted by the Houses. This reduces the risk of shoddy appointments getting through.
If the next President of Cameroon is elected by following the fair and robust DUE PROCESS that I outlined earlier in another article, then this President will be trustworthy to appoint his subordinates. It will be even better if Parliament were to scrutinise these appointees before they take office.
The basic idea behind the due process that I formulated earlier is that a leadership contender must prove himself or herself worthy of the Presidency before taking office. Just as Obama had to prove himself worthy of the White House before gaining it.
The next President of Cameroon MUST EARN that Presidency... NO MORE OPPORTUNISM!
You will remember that Obama started out as a junior senator who wasn't presidential material. He worked hard and learned a great deal to finally make it.
The next President of Cameroon will have to do the same. His researching and detailing a political manifesto that describes what he has to offer the Cameroonian people in terms of solving the current problems of the nation, and his defence of the content of that manifesto in Press interviews, debates, and rallies... all prepare him or her for the demands of the Presidency.
He may start not being presidential material (like Obama did) but he will certainly end-up a true President!
Parliament must of course help this process of transforming the political future of Cameroon. They must implement all the necessary limits on Presidential power, pass all the necessary laws to make Cameroon's political system fair (, robust, and incapable of individual manipulation), and make all the constitutional adjustments that are necessary for an effective democracy.
Posted by: Adolf A Agbormbai | Tuesday, 01 December 2009 at 06:58 PM
The honorable Cameroonian patriots Mr. Agbormbai and Ras Tuge, I greatly appreciate your commentary on my write up and your own views. Mr. Agbormbai I apologize for not being more clear in my idea concerning all government officials being elected by all Cameroonians. In paragraph E. under The President I did state the following:
E. The president can appoint a cabinet of ministers but they may only serve in their post after being approved by a majority vote in parliament and are subject to performance review by parliament.
Your point on this matter is well taken but as you can see you and I are on the same page. Our past political history in Camer has made me weary of trusting one individual to appoint others to posts of importance.
We as human beings have some level of corruption in us, some more than others. You know say all man for pays nah heads man.
That is why I framed my suggestion of a constitution in the way I did. For even if a complete imbecile is elected president our destiny and progress as a nation will not completely be in his/her hands.
You know politics is a kind of game and as with any game there are rules. The political game in Cameroon has its own set of rules in the form of 2 Constitutions. Both these Constitutions are worded in such a way that any progressive person who plays the game of politics can never contribute something positive even if they are part of Equipe National. That is why I say we need a new more democratic constitution.
We need a new set of rules that govern our game of politics. THE RULES RIGHT NOW ARE NOT FAIR.
They are not even fair for all the members of the current Equipe National for only those in the inner circle think they are enjoying. Unfortunately for them they are enjoying with one foot on the way to jail and the other in a faux type of freedom.
Think about it, anyone in CPDM who just even dreams of one day taking over from Mr. Biya is in jail. How many of his fellow villagers, who are also his partners in crime, has he had locked up?
True, the next president must be elected on his/her plans for Camer but most importantly on how he/she will include Cameroonians in the process of nation building starting with a new truely democratic constitution.
If the opposition parties could just organize themselves to work on the development of a new more democratic constitution and then sensitize the population on this new constitution there would be hope. Each aspect of the constitution could be debated amongst the citizenry at the sub divisional level and a vote could be taken at this level on different drafts of the constitution. Once the nation/citizenry has been organized at this level a national candidate can be elected to contest against and defeat Mr. Biya.
I'm not sure how many of you know this, but the current constitution gives the president the authority to enact laws and dissolve the National Assembly.
My theory and hope will be that the newly elected president of the people would use these powers from the old constitution to bring into effect the new nationaly approved constitution that is based on similar democratic principles to the ones that we are discussing.
How we would keep this person from betraying the national interest, I don't know. One thing I do know is that if we as a people were able to pull this off and this new president went contrary to plan after we suffered to see the promise land, the whole nation would go ape shit and impale such a person on CRTV like it was done in the movie about Shaka Zule.
I wish the discussion we are having on this issue were actually being thought about and debated by all Cameroonians.
Electing a new president does us no good if the rules governing our political system and by proxy our national destiny are not completely redone to vest its control in the hands of its citizens.
Ras I admit democracy is not flawless but atleast it provides room for progressive adjustment that can benefit all. Our current overly flawed system does not allow that. People who feel they have no constructive means to express their discontent with their government will tend to....... (fill in the blanks with something sensical).
FREE CAMEROON!
Posted by: The Ngwa Man | Tuesday, 01 December 2009 at 10:50 PM
Ngwa,
There are three points I've picked up from your preceding commentary, that are worth a further comment...
1.
"Once the nation/citizenry has been organized at this level a national candidate can be elected to contest against and defeat Mr. Biya."
This Biya-centric statement is outside my vocabulary. My standpoint is that Paul Biya is irrelevant to the forthcoming general election.
Paul Biya had two terms of 14 years and that will be over in 2011. Paul Biya will not be allowed to participate in the forthcoming elections.
He has no say or authority over that election. This means that all Biya-centric aspects of the Constitution and laws of Cameroon become void. Parliament must begin the process of reconstructing the political system in Cameroon. It also means that Paul Biya has no right to appoint members of the election management body.
According to democratic norms, authority over this matter lies in the hands of the Cameroonian people. Representatives of the Cameroonian people and all stakeholders must begin the process of constructing a new election management body that is independent.
2.
"I'm not sure how many of you know this, but the current constitution gives the president the authority to enact laws and dissolve the National Assembly."
Like I've said above, all such Biya-centric aspects of the Constitution, that encourage his abuse of powers, become void. Parliament must begin the process of constructing a new constitution.
3.
"How we would keep this person from betraying the national interest, I don't know."
Impeachment facilities must be built into the constitution. If the President commits a crime against the national interest he can be impeached. If he does not keep to his promises or plans he won't get another term... The people will vote him out.
Posted by: Adolf A Agbormbai | Wednesday, 02 December 2009 at 06:56 AM
Another point...
"If the opposition parties could just organize themselves to work on the development of a new more democratic constitution..."
Now, this is not a very diplomatic or representative statement. Anything that involves only the opposition parties is not truly representative of the country.
All parties must be involved (including the CPDM). It must be noted that there are two opposing sides to the CPDM: the old guard (monsters of inertia) and the new guard (progressives). The opposition can work together with CPDM progressives.
Posted by: Adolf A Agbormbai | Wednesday, 02 December 2009 at 07:15 AM
Adolf,
Adolf,
Don't underestimate the power-hungry Paul Biya in the paramilitary regime with a civilian face that has been built in Yaounde. Despite lessons of bitter resistance in Nigeria and Kenya, Mr Biya went ahead, quite surprisingly, to enact a defacto Life Presidency for himself recently. He misused the army to kill protesters.
Unless nature intervenes, Mr. Biya will be a candidate in 2011 and "win" the count regardless of the vote. He is currently busy locking up potent adversaries with critical experience, leaving only political eunuchs free, under the subterfuge of an anti-corruption drive. The current president is the most corrupt, politically, financially and intellectually.
Posted by: Kumbaboy | Wednesday, 02 December 2009 at 07:40 AM
If only those progressives in CPDM would think out of the box, muster courage and high jack the National Assembly in the name of Cameroonians and put forth the Constitutional reforms suggested by many others like us on this and other Cameroon internet forums... Oh what a dream we have all dreamt.
As the patriot Kumbaboy suggest, what if nature intervened on the behalf of our nation and someone else took over? Given our 2 current constitutions what would keep the next president from making Cameroon his personal fiefdom like the 2 previous presidents?
Posted by: The Ngwa Man | Wednesday, 02 December 2009 at 07:53 PM
Hey Fondong,i find a place in my heart to say hurrah in taking up courage to talk about SDF. We will favour constructive criticism.If you are ask today to cast a vote in the up coming Presidential Election in which camp will you belong?
Julio, in any Democratic institution there is freedom to make mistakes particularly as the SDF had been making mistakes in seeking to progress the Democratic process in Cameroon. If SDF had boycotted elections in Cameroon i will want to believe it was another effort to tell CPDM Government thier style of governance was unacceptable.
Julio in your piece you said, you sai any serious politician seeking to accede to the pinnacle of power in Cameroon should know by intuition that it is in his best interest to be in the good books of France. WHY?" This is a culture i strongly discourage.Must Cameroon be governed from foriegn boundaries? Fru Ndi like any other Cameroonian with a Democratic mind thought that will be a strategy to reduce French interest in Cameroon.
A few weeks behind i read an article on Bollore and i must let you know i was not impressed with events relating to Bollore and Cameroon. If you had spoken about his intention in campaigning against French products and ironically accomodating PMUC in his flat at Commercial avenue that would have been civilized of you.
Fondong,i must tell you this,in my humble opinion,in the event that Fru Ndi is gone that will be the end of SDF.lets take off time to Salute Fru Ndi. He is surounded by bootlickers,power-mungers in the name of SDF parliamentarians,NEC members.These are the same people i thought i could see a Dramatic spread of professionalism into the Community and organisation.
Fondong,as per Akonteh's resignation and his political life in SDF,i will advise you espoused a culture of investigative journalism.Make no mistake i served in Bafut for Five years and within that time bracket i happened to have contracted a mutual relation with Akonteh,the Fon of Bafut,Dr.Che Ngwa Francis,
Now,Fondong listen well,Akontehs problem emmanated from Bafut.The issue of Nso Bafut Bawum and the fact that the Fon of Bafut accuses Hon.Akonteh for fuelling the split of the Bafut Fundom into two created havoc into his political career.Akonteh made me to understand the Fon of Bafut dislike him and wanted his downfall.
Believe me julio,when i asked Akonteh the reason for the hatred he said,they accused me of burring a life Dog in Nso Bafut Bawum.The story is long my Brother. In an effort to bring the two opposing side together i contacted the Fon of Bafut he told me Fru Ndi was a friend,Definately the Fon of Bafut Invited his subjects and Campaigned against Akonteh.
The Fon made the bafut people to understand Akonteh was preaching divide and rule politics in Bafut. This issue expanded right into the Catholic Church Nso Bawum.That blessed morning i came and met an injunction at the entrance of the Church, an abomination. This is where Akonteh lost popularity in his Bafut Constituency.
Akonteh became frustrated and sort to prostitute to a new political party. In 2008 before he left for Nigeria he contacted me and told me he intended to come up with a new political party, infact i was invited to be a member.
However Akonteh was a man to be respected in the likes of Hon.Neba Publisher who did practically nothing to develop Bafut and Tubah Constituency.
Julio, we are quick in pointing fingers,we will all answer questions in the near future if SDF collapsed. I have repeatedly make a call in this Forum for Cameroonians to rise up as one man put our differences away and effect change in Cameroon to no avail. I have E-mail my address in this forum inviting Cameroonians of Good will to Form a citizen review group to challenge Biya.
The word diasporic came from the Greek word disperse, Cameroonians are disperse all over the world but still have that sense of belonging.We all belong to the Nation Call Cameroon. I have repeatedly asked the Diasporic community to use the social capital we have got to change Cameroon to no avail.
Diaspora could be Strategic Brokers" to promote change,identify crack and tension in our communities,advise political leaders to make power visible, identify opportunities. We have got to use our social capital to link up people across different systerm.
Diaspora could find allies whose external resources provide Cameroon with resources we cannot on our own produce to change Cameroon.
We in the Diaspora should regenerate and reactivate the ethical values that are now believe to regulate individual conduct and that help maintained order and obedience. Then we can succeed in changing Cameroon. Fru Ndi has done his part he is gone. Wake and Free Cameroon.
Posted by: asafor | Thursday, 03 December 2009 at 10:28 AM
With the likes of THE ENTREPRENEUR NEWSONLINE INC., an advocate of GENOCIDE against people of the GRASSFIELDS and MODEL PATRIOT, teaching university students and running news organizations; CAMEROON is doomed!
Posted by: Kamarad | Thursday, 03 December 2009 at 10:39 AM
WHY OPPOSITION? WHY OPPOSE, ANY THING?
when you have no say to hwen and how such a thing is formed in the first place, opposing would seem to me like a brain dead people.
who never played any role in establishment of cameroun, CAMEROUN came into existence as a country witha government in 1960 after
its independence or pseudo-independence as thinkers would call it, with its own constitutions, national athem, flag, boundary set by the french white man, without british southern cameroons(ie northwest and south west province not region) here after
48 years, the grand children are here singing and opposing another man country, seem to me these lots have no identity of short history or are soo cowardly disturb to lie to them selves and actually accept lies. cameroun president unlelected speaks nor write no word in english, he actually hates 7.5m southern cameroonians , as he havedone all things to completely annihilate any thing anglosaxon that bear witness to the heritage of these people, he talk of wiping englisg as a language in southern cameroons and replacing it with his french, that was in TV 24 in paris 2007, he destroy english
cultured prmary school lengthto six years instaed of seven, his precessor change victoria to limbe. he closed down all airports, seaports and international links that used to be used before 1961 to southern cameroons, maintain active military garrison all over the teritory, harrasing and jailing any one that oppose him, yet some still talk of cameroun,
My question is what is cameroun? which is cameroun? is it the passport that all southern cameroonians are forced to carry of the french cameroun country thta misplace your reasonings? or just an act of cowardly condemm people who just say no to facts of history, people who have just refuse totally to know themselves, soo in turn they or the offspring could be free and independent. THERE IS NO NATION KNOW AS CAMEROUN ITS ALL BUT A MIRAGE. THERE IS A FRENCH CAMEROUN AND BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS. PERIOD.
Posted by: red flag | Sunday, 06 December 2009 at 02:11 AM