National Assembly: SDF MPs Create The Unexpected, Disrupt Plenary Session

Parliamentarians of the Social Democratic Front-SDF (main opposition party in Cameroon) have today November 23, 2017 created the unexpected by blocking the plenary session, demanding the inclusion of the Anglophone crisis in the November session discussions. According to reports the MPs staged the unexpected as they disrupted the session, singing about the country not moving well. The brouhaha caused other MPs especially of the ruling CPDM to stage a walk-out. The MPs expressed their disgust over the maneuvers that some MPs selectively went into the field without them.

Note should be taken that SDF MPs had boycotted the opening session which started November 14. The lawmakers had said the November session, normally assigned to fixing the country’s budget, cannot be business as usual, given the ongoing crisis which has grounded activities in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon for more than a year now. Last week boycott, the MPs state, was aimed at showing their disapproval over government’s management of the escalating crisis in the country’s two English speaking regions. Speaking in a press conference at the party’s Yaounde headquarters, one of the SDF MPs, Hon. Joseph Mbah Ndam (SDF Parliamentary Group Leader) explains the reason for the boycott. “We had enumerated a list of grievances particularly the violence that is being meted out in the North West and South West regions. We had warned that violence begets violence that the forces of law and order are now involved. “As representatives of the people, we condemn these spirals of violence and our absence today, is to alert people that we disapprove of the policies that are being taken to handle the crisis and we are rebelling against government’s inertia in resolving the Anglophone crisis”. Asked if the boycott will be indefinite, the MP said the party’s executive board dubbed NEC had asked them to participate in the deliberations. “We will take part in the deliberations. NEC asked us to attend and gave us directives on what to do. We will be fulfilling NEC resolutions”. It is not yet clear whether the illness that took the Lower House (Parliament) will also contaminate the Upper House (Senate). Impressionists have described the move by SDF MPs as a step to the long awaited genuine dialogue. However, it is not yet clear whether the MPs will continue with the disruption of the parliamentary session which is aimed at fixing the 2018 state budget. (a suivre )

 



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