Why the CPDM Will Emerge Victorious in the 2011 Presidential Election

By Emmanuel Konde

Personally, my support for the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) in the upcoming presidential election is strictly based on pragmatic considerations.  I am not an ideologue, therefore, concrete empirical facts, not abstract ideals, guide my orientation to politics. Empirically demonstrable evidence shows that at this particular juncture in the political history of the Republic of Cameroon, only one political party has what it takes to win elections and to govern.  And that’s the CPDM. Alongside CPDM’s tried and tested cadre of strategists, the party has something that the more than 200 or so legal opposition political parties in Cameroon do not have.  That something is a “system of organization.” 

What is a system of organization?
 
By system of organization I do not mean a hierarchy of officials charged with the responsibility of performing different functions.  System of organization as used here refers to the configuration of the structures of an organization, in this case the CPDM, which includes a cohesive hierarchy of officials who constitute the leadership; strategists, who generate ideas and articulate policy options; activists, who mobilize citizens to vote during elections; a method of leveraging resources; and a system for spreading ideas and dividing and delivering goods and services.  This is the required infrastructure that any political party must have in place if it prospects to win elections.  A cursory glance at the wobbly structures of all the political parties of opposition candidates reveals a paucity of any viable system of organization.
 
Symptomatic of the opposition parties in Cameroon is their reliance on demagoguery rather than on organization.  No sooner a date is announced for the next presidential election than a slew of ill-qualified individuals begin to scramble to make their presence felt and their voices heard, albeit without a system of organization. Many in the opposition desire quick fixes to intractable problems, which only a well organized political party can aspire to tackle. In view of the fact that the various opposition groups wallow in disorganized ignominy, one cannot but conclude that the CPDM presents Cameroon at this time with the best possibilities for developing a truly democratic political culture.  A brief review of the politics of the early-1990s when the opposition had an opportunity to defeat the CPDM but squandered it because of disorganization would reveal why the CPDM wins elections.

Political demagoguery

There is every indication that when people yearn for change they are often driven by some irrational impulses to support demagogues who have no track record of leadership.  Barely two decades ago the Cameroonian people were taken on a joy ride, a sentimental excursion of sorts, into the realm of nothingness via the instrument of “political demagoguery”.  Promises of “power to the people,”  an empty slogan, as this lofty promise turned out to be, was nothing but a captivating utterance designed to rally the people to a cause that had neither direction nor a system of organization to deliver the desired end of “power to the people”.  This was the case in those euphoric and deceptively exhilarating “Ghost Town” days when a novice who could churn and dish out empty slogans suddenly caught the imagination of many a gullible Cameroonian.

The early 1990s presented Cameroonians with a great learning experience in politics.  It taught many that in politics what you see is not always what you get.  On the fertile ground of sloganeering arose a “messiah” who preached a new dawn in Cameroon politics.  Unschooled and inexperienced in practical politics, the herald was suddenly thrust into the limelight of national politics. The public adulation showered on him across the land was rather overwhelming and confounding to him, so much that his message was configured around his campaign slogan and no more.  Some two decades after, the messiah is remembered today solely on his repeated pronouncement of the catchphrase: “Power to the People”. What his adherents failed to realize was that the messiah could not deliver on his promises because he lacked the necessary infrastructure through which his lofty slogan could be translated from a mere appealing idea into reality. 

I am here referring to the advent of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), headed by Ni John Fru Ndi.  Still in is embryonic stage in the early-1990s, neither the SDF nor its leadership knew what they wanted, let alone how to get it.   Indeed, those Cameroon Diaspora elements who have sought to compare the 2007-2008 campaign of then candidate Senator Barack Obama with Paul Ayah and Kah Walla’s quest for the presidency of Cameroon should look no farther than to what I have suggested above as absent in the campaign strategy of  Ni John Fru Ndi’s SDF: a system of organization, that is, the political vehicle for mobilizing and delivering votes.

CPDM electoral victories

In this elaborate system of organization, not sentimentalism and wishful thinking, lies the success of the CPDM in Cameroon politics.  The CPDM has won election after election since the introduction of multiparty competitive elections in Cameroon principally because it is the best organized party in the country.  From the Cell, Branch, Sub-Section, Section, Central Committee to Political Bureau, the CPDM is the only party in Cameroon that can boast of a system of organization that is durable, operates as designed, and actually does work.

There is little doubt that many outside forces will either converge in Cameroon in October or attentively monitor the 2011 Presidential Elections from afar. Whatever they elect to do, political pundits and election observers from around the world should be aware of the political realities in Cameroon.  Victory at the polls for the CPDM has always resulted from the party’s ability to effectively mobilize its system of organization and not from vote rigging as some disgruntled elements would have us believe. 

Politics deals with what people do, action, that is, and not what they say.  Consequently, the disjuncture between what people say publicly and what they do privately when alone in a polling booth casting the ballot, should by now be apparent to all.  Cameroonians are not by nature risk takers.  Thus, even though they sing praises for opposition candidates whom they cannot deliver on promises, when it comes to voting they invariably cast their votes for person or party they know can govern.
Cameroonian voters are pragmatists. They understand that politics involves who gets what, when, and how much.  And that the end of politics is to provide a better quality of life for citizens. Cameroonians also understand that it is difficult, if not impossible, to get anything at anytime and in any amount if there is no delivery system to facilitate the movement and distribution of what is to be had, when it is needed, and in the appropriate amount or quantity.  The science of practical politics, above everything else,  consists of the study of two things: (1) how political parties and politicians canvass for, gain, and deliver the votes of their constituents during elections; and (2) when in office, how they  divide and distribute goods and services to their constituents. 

Dr. Emmanuel Konde is a professor of history at Albany State University in Georgia, USA. He is the author of numerous books including European Invention of African Slavery: Origins of the Atlantic Slave Trade in West Africa and the African Diaspora in the Americas and African Women And Politics: Knowledge, Gender, And Power in Male-dominated Cameroon.

Comments

[Manuel]

This article is a total mockery to the 'Dr' in front of an individual's name and hence the reason why the 'CPDM system' has dragged the Cameroonian people so low-thanks to such mindset for 'winning' elections.

[atabong albert]

The article is very distasteful and an honest lack of knowledge how the CPDM operates. The CPDM that evolve from the CNU has been a state party since its inception.It has made use of state financial , human and legal resources to win elections.There is absolutely no difference between a sub divisional officer, the local Commissioner of Police , Head teacher or any divisional officer or delegate from sub section president of the CPDM. In terms of strategists the distinguished Professor alluded in his article; l sincerely see none in the CPDM.The strategy of the CPDM has been the same..The use of civil servants and senior state functionaries to intimidate, deceive and promise the locals of some goodies.The state emissaries provide locals with drinks, salt and some little money for the chiefs. The opposition members are blackmail and described as destitute and unpatriotic,
The question l would have love the good Prof answer; was why has the CPDM as a democratic party not being able to organise elections to choose its presidential candidates? Elections are organised at the grassroot levels for selection of MPs, Mayors and Councillirs..When it comes to main elections,motions of supports replaced the ballot box..
The CPDM will win because elections in Cameroon are designed by the CPDM and the results are determined by the CPDM..But such political thuggery and dictatorship won`t last forever..To quote the former President Obasanjo whilst the issue the 3rd term agenda was ranging in Nigeria, he senses the mood of the citizenry and openly declared..`we need to abide by what the people want because if there will be a revolution in Nigeria.. l will be the first victim`He looked at the signs of the time and stepped down..Most of his colleagues in Cameroon Uganda, Egypt, Tunisia,Libya,Yemen just to name a few decided to massage the constitution to elongate and perpetuate their stay in power forever.. today there is fire on the mountain and there is no place to run to..

[gimme a break]

It is time for Emmanuel Konde to pack his back and go get a job with the CPDM. I guess the peanut salary he earns teachiing history can't sustain him any longer. So what dos he do? pay lip service to the CPDM. The most troubling issue with this article, is not the shallowness of the ideas espoused by this professor, but the fact that, he does not understand there is no difference between the CPDM and state resources. CPDM may be better organized but we all agree this is because they are using state and not private resources. Mr. Biya, the titular head of the party has never told us were CPDM gets its money. May be the professor will tell us in his next article. Such a shallow article, no data, statistics or strong points to back up empty statements similar to the power to the people slogan.

[Dr. M-A Kumbongsi]

Honestly speaking was this fellow called Emmanuel Konde really educated in the West where to acquire that level of scholarship a fair degree of critical thinking, scholarship, honesty, objectivity and common sense is demanded by the academic board before conferring the degree of Ph.D.? His former professors must be looking for a place to hide their faces if they are aware of the insane utterances of this man. It's incredible!!!

M-A Kumbongsi, Ph.D., P.Ag.

[limbekid]

I think what we have here is a problem of generational disonance.

I`m not particularly interested in the outcome of national elections.

Nonetheless, this statement pricked my attention: "... the end of politics is to provide a better quality of life for citizens". Only a fossil would fail to acknowledge that Cameroon has performed negatively in almost all developmental indicators (health, education, infrastructure ...) for the last two or three decades. Election victories are only a means to an end and not an end in themselves

[Va Boy]

Limbekid, I agree with you in principle, although we tend to disagree about means to that principled end. That is where Professor Konde comes out as an unprincipled opportunist. There are quite a few academics in America hoping to gain favor by taking sycophantic stances, so Dr Konde has a lot of competition. Those are the only people whose votes will count in the new Cameroon government policy regarding elections in the diaspora.

[Bob Bristol]

Is it too harsh to call Konde an idiot? I think that is what he is.

[gimme a break]

Folks, done panic this is just one of the many PhD'S FROM Cameroon in the USA, and europe. There are many smart PhD's that i know. People with integrity. This guy is trying to run for something in the Biya government. And may i remind us that, Biya has so many of similar PhD's in his gov't.

[Gift]

I am a a researcher too and a Cameroonian Dr (refering to the author of tha article). You can see just with few comments above, the position at which you put yourself. At a time that we hope for once people like you can give hopes to the hopeless, and with all respect, you are shamelessly misleading Cameroonians in the way you have presented your facts. I will not call that incompetence. You have undoubtedly accomplished a lot in your career, but please there are many Cameroonians who are willing to sacrifice and pursue the truth in order to lay a better foundation for the country. I wish you were helpful than discouraging them the way you have done in your article.

[Emmanuel Konde]

The man of reason studies the extant political parties and the actions of men and women within the societies in which they operate with the aim of understanding why some political parties thrive and others do not. The man whose worldview is wrapped in superstition seeks to understand these same phenomena by gathering and compiling macabre rumors about the successful political party. Separating the man of reason from the man of superstition is the method(s) that they employ in their study of politics.

I acknowledge the success of the CPDM as resulting from its system of organization. My detractors, rather than prove me wrong with counter arguments based on facts, instead undertake to impugn and besmirch me. The concept, system of organization, is central to everything we do as individuals, family, association or nation. Whether my detractors like it or not. imitation is better than jealousy as originality is better than imitation.

It is, therefore, a complete waste of time, effort, and energy to engage in battle with a success story that is the CPDM. A more fruitful endeavor would be to study the CPDM system of organization and imitate how it operates. As for me, I study and chronicle what is and not what ought to be. I do not permit my preference to interfere with my analysis. Consequently, I cannot but consign the verbiage spewed against me to realm of superstition.

The CPDM has, through its system of organization provided a blue print of success that the opposition political parties of Cameroon can emulate. It is now left to those who talk loud while saying nothing to go to work. Study the CPDM system and contrive workable schemes to be like, and even better than, the CPDM‘s. In pursuing this end, my detractors must abandon superstition and learn how to deploy reason to the task of making the opposition political parties as formidable as the CPDM.

Emmanuel Konde

[gimme a break]

Dr Konde;

You want us to learn how the CPDM is a success story? really Dr. You want us to learn how unemployment under the CPDM is about 60% in Cameroon. You want us to learn how thy rig elections, and hang unto power for decades without any meaningful improvement in the lifes of its people. You realy want us to ean about the absence of roads and any meaningful developmental projects, hospitals, roads, civil society and mnay more. You want us to learn from the CPDM how o single handedly ruin a country. Is this what you want us to learn from the CPDM. Are you serious? By any index of measure Cameroon is way out of the loop. We happened to fall among the most corrupt countries in the world-is this what you want us to learn about? What you are saying is under the CPDM Cameroon, and Cameroonians have known better. But sir, this is contrary to what we learn from credible, impartial institutiona that monitor world and develoment events for each country.

You say it is a waste of time to engage in a battle with the CPDM. This says everything wants expects to know about you. You seem to be interchanging CPDM for the country Cameroon. In a plitical system, there has to be some compettition, checks and balances for effective and better government. I am trying to educate a History professor here, but i am forcd to because your article is a disgrace.

To suggest that we do not compete with the CPDM, is like saying dictatorship is alright.

Well dear Dr. Konde, as your contract expires and you cannot renew it, and evidently cannot find a new job, why mot try your hand in a nursing school. Start with certified nursing assistant popular called CNA, then LPN and RN. There are plenty jobs in this area. Because the irony will be that, even in a disfunctional gov't like the CPMD, this weak brain historian will be dumped before he is actually hired.

[Kirrikou]

When I read through this article, I considered the time used "wasted" and concluded that Dr Konde is a History stooge.

[Emmanuel Konde]

Rile and rant all you want, the CPDM is the ruling party in Cameroon. If you are determined to dislodge the CPDM, organize and contest and win elections. If you cannot organize and win elections in Cameroon, simply shut-up. There is no need for crocodile tears. Your claim that the CPDM rigs elections is nothing but the mournful cry of surrender, the last gasp of a man who cannot contrive strategies to overcome adversity.

[Amouta Denis]

Dr WHO?
An embarrassment to the academia!

[Emmanuel Elangwe]

"I am not an ideologue, therefore, concrete empirical facts, not abstract ideals, guide my orientation to politics."

OK, Shah... Waiting for the concrete empirical facts...(Silence)...Drum roll...!

"There is every indication that when people yearn for change they are often driven by some irrational impulses to support demagogues who have no track record of leadership."

BOOM !!!! All clap for Dr Konde. He is a true specimen of the specie Intelligentsia africanus

[Va Boy]

Konde is right; of course, the CPDM will be "victorious" because it set the rules, chose the pitch, owns the ball and controls the referee. If in spite of all the odds, someone else wins, it owns the thugs who will force its "victory" down your throats. That is why I totally ignore Cameroun politics, but opportunists like Konde, who are quite a few in the academic world are for sale. Konde and some others just want Cameroun government to notice them.

[Va Boy]

Emmanuel Konde derives a sadomasochistic thrill from these public arguments on the internet. He throws out this red meat junk pieces of writing to raise the ire of others, then there is a dog fight of sorts. That makes him happy. That makes him less useful for the CPDM, which wants a grip on power so that its high members may steal without consequence. They do not need provocateurs who could blow the place up with inflammatory words. You think they are not seeing what happened in Tunisia or more recently in Britain?

Emma, dem neva call u because if you inappropriately make one of those ya let them eat cake statements, it might provoke their well deserved end in the hands of a revolution. That is why you are not Monsieur le ministre Emmanuel Konde despite years and years of freelancing as Kontcheu on the internet, You member him nor? Biya's propaganda minister emeritus.

[limbekid]

Well as Dr Konde says, the opposition should be more strategic. So I propose we start by boycotting these artists:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV6b2Y1eKhM

You`ve seen them, you can identify them, so vote with your feet.

[facter]

I don't know these people and would not persecute them. They learned from Lapiro de Mbanga about what the chef bandit would do if you stand up to him. Cameroun pop music is mostly junk anyway and musicians are only as courageous as the people from whom they spring.

[gimme a break]

We past the time when a PhD mearnt soemthing just by attaching that after yor name. People are kicking the tires after that PhD title, and what they see is stench, filt and a pseudo-intellectual masquerading as a historian. The analysis of this weak kneed, empty pocket historian tell you, we cannot even hire himt o teach in any of our high schools in Cameroon.

[J. S. Dinga]

Right now I am in Cameroon. I had hoped to witness election fever but the place is in some kind of cold anticipation. What are they waiting for?
Only God in his infinite wisdom can say? When will the election take place? This seems to be one person's carefully guarded secret in this land of level playing field for everybody. And they just named a certain Mrs Delphine Tsanga as one member of the level playing field organ called ELECAM. Does the name ring a bell?

Oh, weep for the great Cameroon. Weep for the young persons dying to prove their worth but being suffocated by octogenarians in governance.
This country needs an infusion of new blood. Who will save Cameroon?

[jipnb]

J.S. Dinga;

Ask that question to the BIG FOOL called Dr. Konde. Does the name Delphine Tsanga ring a bell in your head STUPID Dr? I will also ask this IDIOT called Dr. Konde to read the long treatises published on cameroon-info.net by one time erstile minister of health URBAIN OLANGUENA AWONO himself a Dr of law of the current state of affairs in Cameroon. The former minister has been a active member of government in the Biya regime for a very long time. If this FOOL called Dr. Konde understands any basic idea concerning government, development, party politics, and Country developoment, he will understand that he is a caricature of a enormous proprotion. I guess this carpet beggar is over in his head with a useless PhD certificate that means nothing to anybody. Accept your paltry $50,000/annum salary and drop that stupidity your are parading the internet with. Read the article by the former minister, a insider providing yet another evidence to buttress the arguments many have been making in this forum. This USELESS historian cannot distinguish between party politics and national interest. This frotumba born probably on a black friday, a bad sheep in the Cameroon community, conceived under misterious circumstances will want us to believe CPDM is Cameroon, and Cameroon is CPDM. People who worshiped Biya, those who gave him Aspirin when he was sick, Titus Edzoa, Awono, Olanguena, Mebara are today languishing in jail probably not because they wanted to subvert the nation, but because they probably stole more than Biya from the nations coffers. This guys hide under the CPDM umbrella, and are pillaging the country of its resources, and an academic fraud, a pseudo-intellectual of incullable dimensions is thriving to re-write history. Those heavy weights that dined, ate, and festered corruption in Cameroon are now in the dustbin of history. This is how the CPDM operates. And according to this fictional historian non-historian he can take the place of one of these jailed ministers. Folks, these are the sort of academic weak brian running our country. Those who should be running gov't have been chased, and when the IMF stops loaning to Cameroon, that plantation will " FALL STOCK". Just a little while, and we shall be there.

[Bob Bristol]

OMG! Konde you see the mess you've put yourself into. We've been long enough on this forum to know that you've got nothing to offer. Why don't you switch and try your hands at something different, like Human Resource Management. I mean we may still need you when we finally take over. Removing the Dr before of your name may be a good start.

[Che Sunday]

Can the word Victorious be used in a context in which the competition is flawed from the start?
Unfortunately, the English language has not come up with a synonym to go along with victorious to describe senarios where cheating has aided one candidate over the over. The CPDM is going to simply declare itself victorious come October. That is why they are yet to declare their candidate for president. Its a foregone conclusion.
For academics to try being semantic and deceptive getting Cameroonians to think there is going to be genuine elections in Cameroon only makes one go back several years to what a Ghanian author wrote that African intellectuals were co-conspirators in the era of military rule in Africa by lending their skills in defending those regimes.
Now, we have a new breed, the likes of Konde who will tell us a dirty coin is clean just because it has the same purchasing power. Biya's years of charading as running a democracy is being given impetus by such write-ups that the CPDM will emerge victorious,when we all know there is no forthcoming election. All countries have elections, Cameroon has selective representation.

[jipnb]

Is Konde living in this world like the rest of us? Because why in the world will this guy want us to believe anything he is saying? Does anybody in the world believe Cameroon is a democratic country? Well, dear Dr. Konde you have a right to believe what you believe and don't believe, you have a right to your opinion, and a right to be a militant of the CPDM or any othe political party in Cameroon. That is a fundamental right ascribed to any political democratic society. But what you don't have a right to is, is not shading the facts and the truths. May i remind you, there is a wave of democracy blowing across the world. Dictators and their bedrock of supporters like you are been flushed out. It started in Tunisia, the Egypt, Libya is on the brink and yes Gadaffi will go wheter Sarkozy or Obama flushes him out is irrelevant. What is important though, is that the people of Libya and yes Ivory Coast, hopefully Cameroon have the chance of determining their own destiny. The world will not stand idly by while a group of thieves, fictional politicuians and their ilk you Dr. History included destroy the foundations of countries. God has certianly ordained this moment with leaders like Sarkozy and Obama who understands that certain ill bred humans can cause harm to theor people. You Dr. Konde, fall squarely in that category of people who will support a dictatorship for personal gains. We see it in Cameroon daily, were young men unable to find a job get frustrated and start doning CPDM regalia in the hope of finding a job. They pay lip service to their master, and inwardly are cowards. You belong in this category, but you are even worse because you have a job or purpot to have one in the USA. The best service you can do to Cameroon, if open a little business, hire some graduates to work for you in Cameroon. In that little, but significant way you will help in steering the ship of country in the right direction. Quit playing with the life and soul of the country. This issue is very serious. Tell the truth about your CPDM party. Do not embelish the facts. We are not ignorant of whats going on in Cameroon. Facts are stubborn things but they don't go away. You enjoy freedom in a great country like USA. This freedoom was championed by people who had love for country. Their personal interest didn't take precedence over the interest of this great nation. And all the histroy you have learnt has not educated you about nation building.
How dare you tell us the CPDM is Cameroon? How dare you try to shade the truth? I understand that, our education system in Cameroon failed in training us about the truth. I need not remind you because you must have observed teaching students that honesty is a very important aspect in the American way of life. I mean honesty, real honesty. This is what we lack in the country. And today, a PhD
feels proud to come to a public forum and distorts the truths, conflates party politics with national development, sing the praises of a party that uses state resources to run its affiars, while simultaneously dismissing opposition political parties as cranks, or wishful thinkers, or subjects that should be scorned at. You may be looking for a job in the Biya regime, but what should eran that job should be your personal accomplishmenst. The numbers of courses taught, students supervised, grants approved, and titles confered including that ENIGMA of a PhD. You shouldn't be looking to clean Biya's dining table to earn promotion. But even if you do that, atleast,with the reputation you have this far, a PhD, living in America, being called Dr. Konde you should have a modicum of self respect and clear headedness. But i fear your reputation is at best muddy, shaddy, questionable. Your judgement and reasoning should be called to question.
YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO ALL HONEST MEN AND WOMEN WHO HOLD THE TITLE OF PhD, and want to do right by their community and country.
lONG LIVE FREEDOM AROUND THE WORLD AND TO
ALL THOSE WHO SEAK AND YEARN FOR IT.

[Mofako Mbanya]

This is the worse article i ever read about the political situation in Cameroon. What makes it so distasteful is that it comes from someone who is supposed to be a realist. Someone who is supposed to educate and not deceive Cameroonians. Konde can you actually diffrenciate between the state and political parties in Cameroon? Can you diffrenciate between political parties and state institutions? Everything owned by the state of Cameroon is owned by the CPDM making it almost entirely impossible for any other political party to effectively challenge the CPDM. If you want a job the best thing to do is form a political parties and merge with the CPDM. Am sure that will help you rather than writing such thrash to annoy people who have eyes to see. Politics of the stomach is all you people know. Thats why Cameroon will forever remain backward because nations building is the last aspects in peoples minds.

[Emmanuel Konde]

Your infantile insults mean practically nothing to me. Why don't you address the issues I have raised? Presently in Cameroon, there is no political party that can fill the void should the CPDM fall. And that, my friends, is the sad story.

Emmanuel Konde

[Wantium]

For the record, I am one of those who believes that at the end of it all Konde is a tribalist with the worst authoritarian streak that would make many African leaders blush. That said, unlike other commentators, I think this is a well reasoned piece in which he succinctly lays out his argument. Sure, it has lots of loopholes, e.g., not taking into account the CPDM's stranglehold on the state's financial, administrative and coercive apparatus which allows it to have the appearance of solidity when in fact it is built on sand. Remember during the 1997 congress when the CPDM sec Gen announced that the party had only 76 thousand francs CFA in its actual account? So I think Konde is wrong. But those who are simply heaping insults on the Dr. are worse than him and are clear examples of why Cameroon will never move forward. We are unable to debate on issues and quickly move to ad hominem attacks. Konde has put forth his "crazy" ideas. You guys put up counter arguments or shut the hell up!

[Louis Egbe Mbua]

Konde,

You are a historian and should know that Cameroon is at elastic's end. The opposition is the people.

The complaints about your article lie squarely on honesty and integrity. I have always hinted you on the last two qualities.

As a Ph.D. much is expected in these areas; and many a people will be disappointed if they find that these two qualities are lacking in any exposition.

I believe people are free to support any political association but there is a difference between supporting a party and propounding outright lies to support thieves, dictators and tyrants who are bent on and are destroying your own people as a result of the occult, power and greed.

[Bob Bristol]

Wantium, if there was even an ironic twist to suggest that the oppositions are lagging somehow (which of course they are ), we could have understood. But Konde is more of a propagandist than a critic. We know him. Fanatism is not for doctors but unfortunately, we have one here who is very unapologetic.

[jipnb]

Wantium

What ever your name is. You are very stupid. You think you are more rational than the people abusing this idiotic fictional historian. This nothing to argue with such rubbish and nonsense. There is no way to hold any reasoned argument with htis moronic bastard. If he made arguments to the fact that, the opposition in Cameroon is disorganised hence cannot flush out the entrenched CPDM/Cameroon, then there is a debate.

MR. RATIONAL WANTIUM, NOBODY SHOULD STRUGGLE TO DEBATE SUCH USELESS GIBBERISH. What this fake Dr. is doing is distorting the truth. I refuse to believ he doesn't yunderstand whats going on in Cameroon. There can be no sensible debate with dictators and hostage takers. I consider Biya and his band of inglorious bastards hostage takers and terrorists.

Like Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Gbagbo in Ivory Coast, Ben Ali of Tunisia, Hosni of Egypt, Gadaffi of Libya, these people can understand only one language force. Unfortunately, Cameroon is not there yet.

No amount of arguing or presenting an opposing view will sway a dishnoest Dr. Similarly, no one is going to talk Biya into reason about relinguishing power. But i have caome to agree that, people deserve the gov't they get. If you like it keep, if not throw it out by force, or elections.

Mr Wantium, do not try to lecture us about reason. History is replete of people who lost a just course because they try to reason normally. Only few instances have reason prevailed in history. How much reason could have stopped Hitlers madness in europe? None.

You have a brain, and we also do.

Good night the most reasonable and though provoking lunatic-Wantium

[Emmanuel Elangwe]

@Wantium

"I think this is a well reasoned piece in which he succinctly lays out his argument. Sure, it has lots of loopholes, e.g.,"

Family, I'm hard pressed to understand why you would encourage anyone to celebrate mediocracy (it might be cloaked in beautiful garments and adorned with flashy medals from academia, it's still MEDIOCRE)...well reasoned piece?...You are joking, right?

While I'm at it, how did you manage to draw the conclusion that, throwing insults at one another on a public blog has sealed the fate of All Cameroon to NEVER move forward? Seriously?

[facter]

Emmanu, same thing was said by mubarak and his boosters last year. You never know what a few months might bring.

[facter]

biya's strategy is simple. Rig the elections. Use police thugs on any egypt style uprisings. use military and israeli-trained special forces for armed insurrection. Finally call France in case of desperation, as in cote d'ivoire. finally count on drunken cameroonians to have no courage. there are other aspects but this is the short version.

kondi good luck, but nobody is deceived

[jipnb]

Folks, read the post by Dr. Vakunta and arrive at your own conclusion. I think he is a genuine intellectual, not because i share his opinion about the CPDM and elections in Cameroon, but because he tries to put flesh to the bones. There are some facts, hard truths that PhD should put in anything they write.

It is ok for Dr. Konde to support Biya and CPDM, but what not ok is for him to distort the fcats and shade the truth. We agree certificates such as PhD'S are the same, but the sure as heck mean something different depending on who the holder is.

A Professor of modern language is precise and pointed in his facts than a professor of history. Go figure. Choose who you will like to be on your side in matters of national interest. As for me, i choose Dr. Vakunta. Because of Konde's dishonesty, i don't want him teaching even in our primary schools.

[limbekid]

To be fair to Dr Konde and Wantium, the article is titled "Why the CPDM will emerge victorious in the 2011 presidential elections". We are not discussing the merits and demerits of political parties, but the differences in organisational strategy.

I still think the piece is thin on evidence, but if we want a society which accepts debate then we must acknowledge divergent views

[limbekid]

Like I said in my initial comment on the subject, it is intellectually dishonest to claim the ruling party has provided a "better quality of life for its citizens". Even by African standards Cameroon is stagnating:

On health: As per 2008 statistics on health expenditure per capita, Cameroon fares better than most African countries of comparative size and population (Ghana, Rwanda, DRC...)
http://www.globalhealthfacts.org/data/topic/map.aspx?ind=66#table
However, this doesn`t give the complete picture as we spend less (as a percentage of GDP), than most of these countries

On (tertiary) education our universities are perfoming woefully. None figures among the top 100 on the continent: We can`t even compete with countries like Rwanda, Bukina Faso and even conflict-ravaged Somalia
http://www.4icu.org/topAfrica/

On IT infrastructure Cameroon is lagging behind most countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. As per 2011 statistics, Cameroon has only 3.8% internet penetration, faring worse than Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, togo, uganda, Zambia ...
http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm

All the issues highlighted affect competiveness and should never be taken lightly. By way of illustration, here are the results of the recent Android Developer Challenge, with finalists for Kenya, Uganda, South AFrica, Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Malawi, and even Togo and Guinea.
https://code.google.com/intl/fr-FR/android/adcafrica/finalists.html

The list clearly reflects those countries which take IT development seriously and invest. This is 2011 and Cameroon is sleep walking to mediocrity while octogenarians prepare to celebrate an umptieth election victory

[gimme a break]

Mr Limbekid;

Nobody is taking issue with the title of the article. What we are pissed about is the fact that, the STUPID Dr. Konde appears to be gloating over the reasons why the CPDM will succeed. If this isn't clear to you in the initial article, then read the subsequent response he posted. He never tried to clarify his stance, istead, he double down and appears to suggest that the CPDM is the only solution for Cameroon. This is what is at issue here, not the misleading tile of his article. He has a right to his public views and free speech, but he cannot re-write history. What is more disturbing is that this guy has a Phd in some arts subject not unrelated to history.

A historian should know better, and this gabage of a man doesn't.