ELECAM is White Elephant, Cameroon Constitution Needs Urgent Review to Enshrine Separation of Powers et al.

   By Felix Teche Nyamusa, 2018 presidential hopeful

 No serious nation practising multiparty politics accepts going into general elections controlled by but one of the parties nor will she tolerate governance without separation of powers as obtained in Cameroon today.

The majority-CPDM-personnel ELECAM which passes as elections managing body in Cameroon has most of her decisions vetted by the Supreme Court – thus thwarting the acclaimed independence. Her financing is decided by the Presidency (Executive) not by a vote in the legislature outfit (- though rubber- stamped in Cameroon).  This gives answer to where her allegiance is specified – to Biya/CPDM. Cameroon where the difference between the ruling party and government is not clear – hence rampant money laundry of state coffers by both officials of the duo with impunity while the rest of the country including opposition parties and the civil society hold their breath.

The personnel of ELECAM - this local elections monitoring body in Cameroon, more than foreign elections monitors would have understood the injustice of our system. How can they when particularly the top brass hardly see beyond their nostrils? They seem, do not care for the youths, generations to come and ordinary Cameroonians so long as they are comfortable. ELECAM is aware that the set up they are managing elections for (Cameroon) is not democratic – there is no separation of powers. Many a super-skilled Cameroonian has rejected attractive offers to work under the CPDM regime on principles. Elections are meant to satisfy the generality of citizens to enable people’s candidates, parties, choices to control their affairs for progress and development but home based principal monitors (ELECAM) gives a blind eye to this sterling universal quality as she works covertly in the selfish interest of only one arm of government – the executive which of recent times drove the country into corruption, poverty and debts (HIPC).

          ELECAM (as well as even just a social toddler here) obviously is aware, but feigns angelic impartiality and innocence that her financing which constitutes one of the major indicator of any structure’s independence is decided not even by the appointed-members legislature but by President Biya who doubles as national President of the ruling CPDM. ELECAM’s controversial double pronged leadership and most of their subordinates is aware (like many a citizen do) that the regime deeps its hands into the public treasury for campaign money for the ruling party to the detriment of adversary parties yet she (ELECAM) claims to organize free and transparent elections. For one party to have huge sums of campaign money from the general treasury while the other contestants are starved is treason and will always permit this ruling party to remain in power to the detriment of the country in general. Government here intimidates state armed forces and civil servants into errors of fighting and voting for CPDM - ELECAM knows this and continues mindlessly in self deceit of managing independent of party influence elections in Cameroon!

          The circa 80 percent routine results awarded to CPDM is characteristic of dictators’ mentality and desire. This pro government ELECAM project is thus a white elephant and can not be an appropriate tool for a Cameroon aiming at emergence from poverty.

          Cameroon laws are tailored to maintain the stranglehold of the incumbent executive and ruling party in power. Governance with no separation of powers, the practice here, is no democracy to say the least.

          A country like Cameroon where one man of the executive arm usurps all functions can never progress – their most eminent evolution is scoring close to 100 percent at fraudulent elections – In a normal country, parliament and/ or senate (legislature) questions and checks the president. The courts can prosecute any other arm. The three branches of government are autonomous and control the action of each other not today’s Cameroon where Biya is every where, and perpetually. His party must always win all elections – one party rules for donkey’s years – yet Cameroonians have their dreams but for emigration into the Diaspora for greener pastures – many die in this process and those that get abroad, many, still suffer  serious race discrimination and underpay while broken relations, marriages haunt them back home. Cameroon’s is a rudimentary economy with highly insufficient basic farm-to-market roads, clean water and electric energy supply.

          We must dump this sterile governance cum shoddy electioneering with its ancient fault-packed constitution without delay!

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa