Eyong E Eyong Declares Aspirations for Mayoral Position in Mamfe Central

Eyong E Eyong looking to the stars as limit

 As biometric registration kick-starts nationwide, more and more young Cameroonians continue to declare their political intentions. Eyong E Eyong has joined the bandwagon of young political aspirants to declare his vision for a New and Transformed Mamfe “where Rural Communities and all Inhabitants of Mamfe Central will prosper and Live happily”. In his declaration note, Eyong E Eyong further amplifies that “when I take over leadership in Mamfe Municipal Council as Mayor, come 2013, my administration will embark on the EXECUTION OF MY MANIFESTO TITLE (Project Transformation of Mamfe Central”. In his declaration the young dynamic politician also outlined his political roadmap noting that his intention is to foster development efforts thus changing lives. Being a result-oriented development luminary, Eyong E Eyong says “this will include the provision of Portable Drinking Water in the Rural Communities of MAMFE CENTRAL, Creating Access Roads to their Farms by the Construction of Bridges across Streams and Opening of Motor-able Roads for the Transportation of the peoples' farm produce to the town, Installation of Street Lights powered by Solar Energy in all the villages in Mamfe Central including Mamfe town, opening of vast Mechanized Jathropha Farmlands for the production of Biofuel and Aviation fuel both for Local use and for Exportation and other cash crops. The construction of processing plants for these cash crops will be embarked upon by my administration through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) which my administration will go on a worldwide search of Investors both at Home and Abroad for the rapid industrialization of Mamfe Central and the entire Manyu Division. This will boast the Economy of Mamfe central and Manyu in terms of empowering the people and providing employments for our teeming unemployed youths. Also, the creation of Manyu Community Development Agency (MACODA) which is already under registration process will be a vehicle to drive the development of Manyu, and also the creation of a MICROFINACE BANK to be headquartered in Mamfe for the provision of subsidy to Manyu people as a means to alleviate poverty amongst our people and to empower them to embark on large scales Commercial Agriculture where our processing plants will source their raw materials from.
Through networking and business speculation in the area of capacity and sustainable development, my administration will work in partnership with international organizations whose activities are focused in the areas of Health care delivery, Education, sports, etc in the execution of various projects within the municipality for the benefit of our people.
I have been in serious discussions with an international organization for a possible grant funding for the establishment of a heritage ecovillage which shall be created during my administration to preserve, promote and market Mamfe to the international tourism market. My administration will institute the organization of an annual carnival in Mamfe to bring back home the Sons and Daughters of Manyu, National and International Tourist to participate and witness the “ANNUAL MAMFE CARNIVAL” which will sell and promote the Manyu culture and improve cultural tourism in Manyu.
For the actualization of this vision comes 2013, go ye now from Neighbour2Neighbour and proclaim to one another that Barrister Eyong Elvis Eyong is the man to wipe our tears and to bring Transformation of Mamfe Central Come 2013 !!!”

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

Burying Prince Jacob Lekunze; The Population Of Lebialem Must Not Perish

 

By Aminateh Nkemngu   

All roads in Lebialem Division early this month led to Bamumbu, Wabane sub division in Lebialem Division for the burial of the former Special Adviser at the Prime Minister’s Office,  Jacob Ketuma Lekunze who died about two months ago in Yaounde. Far from what many expected would be a “high profile burial” ,with a state decoration for the man popularly known as ”Mr Bakassi” for his relentless effort to ensure that priority projects for the Bakakssi peninsula were realized in the supreme interest of the population there, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Committee in charge of special projects in the area, it turned out to be the opposite.

The death and subsequent burial of Prince Jacob Ketuma Lekunze has once more demonstrated that the body politics of Lebialem division needs to be properly reviewed and people centred options taken in order to avoid future embarrassments of the ego of ordinarys Lebialem people.

That a prophet is never known in his own homeland may be  true except in the particular case of Prince Jacob Ketuma Lekunze who,  it would appear was neither a prophet at home or anywhere else he sojourned when he walked the face of the earth. For fear of blistering treks to the very much enclaved Bamumbu in the northern part of Lebialem, the remains of Prince Jacob   Lekunze were left in a Yaounde hospital for two months while waiting for the rains to go. Many a person who have travelled to that part of this country hold that a bridge linking the sub division to Batibo in the North West Region has collapsed and movement of any form of locomotives is not possible. So the two months abandonment of the corpse, it would appear was to give way for minor improvements on the terrible road. And behold the day of burial finally came. Newspaper reports hold that the remains of Prince Jacob Lekunze were abandoned to his family members and a few colleagues from the Prime Minister’s Office .The DO Misaje ,Nkweti Simon who hails from Wabane suffered a ghastly car accident while returning from the burial and we speak,his car is beyond repairs.Thank God for sparing his life.So where was Prince Lekunze a prophet? At home where he could not reach and nobody knew where he was coming from or in Yaounde and Bakassi where nobody knew where he was going to? There are some recondite things that push us to mull over the strange absence of man’s kindness towards man , or better put of man’s wickedness to man.

Curiously enough, on the same evening that Prince Lekunze was buried, Lebialem CPDM Elite  were seen in Bamenda floating a CPDM Magazine produced for the burial ceremony. The curious question this writer asked the spin doctor carrying the magazines was “how many Lebialem denizens resident at home or better put, local people spoke in the magazine ?The obvious answer was non. Rather it was a bunch of CPDM elite with insignificant positions in Yaounde who had planted their photographs in the magazine as if to say “we are fighting for this man’s job”. This same bunch of zealots who absconded from their own homeland shortly after the burial of their kinsman were seen that same evening hanging out in the corridors of a prominent Bamenda hotel after a merry-go round journey to Wabane.

In all fairness ,this was a second slap on the face of the ordinary Lebialem man in less than three months after the humiliating sack of Paul Tasong as Secretary General in the Ministry of the Economy ,Planning and Regional Development.

The question that comes to mind is whether the CPDM in Lebialem is a “dance of the vampires”. In 2011,Lebialem division ended up with over 80 percent score for the CPDM, the best in the South West Region, so to say. Whether these results were manufactured in a laboratory or were the wish of the people is a question to be answered. But retributive justice has led to the division losing two key positions from the same party they so much love in less than one year. So was it a prayer of the people?

As a division that owes all its good things to Christendom, there is no gainsaying the fact that the population of Lebialem undeniably turned to God to hear their prayers and deliver them from the evils  of all season bad roads, information hoarding , influence trafficking, eye for eye politics and above all sidelining of local people from the “dog eat dog” sharing of the crumbs of CPDM loyalty.

In an election year like 2013,the population of Lebialem needs adequate information and knowledge especially on a key issue like voting. The local people must be allowed to speak freely, chose their local leaders freely and above all drive and sustain their own development. In so doing, they will cast out the spell of believing that only a particular party can bring development to the very much enclaved area.

As we speak, the masses of Lebialem are still to hook up to the train of biometric voter registration. Is this a ploy to declare another 80 percent victory or more for the “great national party” in upcoming elections? In the past, the masses of Lebialem have been hoodwinked to believing that the magic wand for their worries is in the CPDM. The question remains ”where is it”?.The people of Lebialem must not perish because of the vampires. Please, let my people go.

                                       Aminateh Nkemngu is a Development Journalist,

Founder, Executive Director, The Community Initiative For Development Communication, CODEC,BP 78,Menji,Fontem,Lebialem Division

Email aminfuanya@yahoo.com

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

Misaje is Bastion of the CPDM, PM Yang Says

By Le Turbo Japhet

It was pomp and Fanfare in Nkambe and Misaje as the 30^th anniversary of President Paul Biya was not only graced by the presence of Philemon Yang, Prime Minister, Head of Government but also by the award of Excellence support Biya’s educational policy.

While handing over the gifts to meritorious students, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Central Committee Delegation leader and Secretary of State in the Ministry of Mines, Industries and Technological Development said that the best thing that ever happened to Cameroon was the present educational policy promoted by President Biya. He said the only way to show appreciation and gratitude to H.E Paul Biya on the occasion of the celebration of the 30^th anniversary of his accession to power was to support his effort at providing education to all Cameroonians wherever they might be. Minister Calistus Gentry was speaking last November 06 in Nkambe and in Misaje while offering scholarships to some 68 students amongst whom were two traditional rulers from Ako and Kungi. The 68 most performing students from some 22 secondary schools from across Donga Mantung were offered 30 000 each as scholarship for this school year, as part of activities marking the 30^th anniversary of President Paul Biya’s accession to supreme magistracy. Speaking to a crowd of over 3000 militants, sympathizers and students, Dr Calistus said how satisfied Donga Mantung was with President Paul Biya’s performance at the helm of state in over 30 years. Since Biya wants to live for posterity the education of the Cameroonian child, Dr Calistus decided to reward performance in schools across the whole of Donga Mantung as part of massive votes in favour of the Cpdm candidate at the last October 11 polls. The scholarships which amounted to over 3 million fcfa had as objective to give gratitude to President Paul Biya for piloting the ship of nation for 30 years and also to raise the human resource base for Donga Mantung in the long run.

Impact

The scholarships, many people agree in Donga MANTUNG came to meet a felt need. It should be recalled that when Misaje was created some years ago the principal hard difficult times with poor parents in collecting school fees. Dr Calistus then decided to foot the bills and enrolment climbed in a short time from lees than 30 students to over 15000 today. In an apparent move to support the husband, Mrs Sally Gentry declared during the anniversary celebrations that the husband is at his best mode when he changes lives and that their family would be judged as successful not from the number of cars or buildings they won but rather from the number of lives they have changed, On his part the SDO for Donga Mantung, Ngone Ndode Mesape Bernard congratulated the move by the Gentry family saying that it falls in line with government policy for when more people are educated there is less crime wave in society. He was optimistic that the anniversary gift to Donag MANTUNG WAS the best so far and that government would continue to appreciate such gestures.

The Unexpected in Misaje

It had never happened before but history had it recorded that PM Yang made a surprising visit to Misaje on November 6, 2012. As celebrations marking the 30^th anniversary celebrations of Paul Biya peaked to a degree in Misaje, the Prime Minister and Head of Government made a surprise stop at Misaje considered over the years as the bastion of the Cpdm in Donga MANTUNG TO THANK THEM FOR THE massive support they gave the Cpdm candidate at the last October Presidential elections and to encourage militants and party leaders to take the message of voter registration seriously. The Prime Minister’s presence in Misaje ignited hope in the militants of the CPDM and sympathizers as they came out massively to celebrate with him. According to Central Committee Delegation leader, Dr Fuh Calistus Gentry, the fact that the Prime Minister chose Misaje to commune with on this day was proof that Misaje was an area that the Cpdm and Paul Biya could rely on for future victories.

Philemon Yang’s Message

PM Philemon Yang told the people of Misaje that SCNC is a bad party because any group that advocates for division and not unity is not good at all. He said the CPDM has done alot and much more has been earmarked and that some projects may not be executed due to the fact that Government has devoted much money in supporting flood victims nationwide. On Biya's 30 years in power which many say is too much, Yang Philemon told the people of Misaje that even though Biya has been there for long, he has been delivering the goods and there is no reason why he should not be there. He praised CPDM militants and sympathizers in Misaje for their continuous support in the CPDM and Paul Biya. He further called on the population to register massively as soon as biometric registrations kick-start in their municipality. He described Misaje as the bastion of the CPDM in Donga Mantung Division. In reaction to the speech by the Mayor of Misaje who decried that the last census results reduced the population of his municipality, PM Yang Philemon called on the population to register massively so as to proof those figures wrong.

Enter Minister Fuh Calistus

Minister Fuh Calistus on his part thanked the population for their massive turnout and continued that President Biya is the guarantor of development in Cameroon. Accordingly, he cited a great number of projects that have come and changed lives in the municipality. Dr. Fuh Calistus also expressed gratitude to the population for the trust and confidence in the CPDM and Paul Biya. He called on militants and sympathizers to register massively in the electoral register so as to vote during the upcoming local elections. He took time to explain to the population that with the biometric, everyone is expected to go and personally register and not vice-versa.  

Mbessa Conclave

Politics they say is a systematic organization of hatred, and so it is practiced everywhere. Some politicians of Mbessa extraction in Misaje we gathered held a conclave where they threatened to divert their support if their voice in not considered in power sharing. According to what we gathered the Mbessa conlave has as objective to frown at the notion of imposing leaders on others at the base. Sources hinted that the problem in Misaje is that of who will be the next Mayor and that power alternation may not be respected following threats from Mbessa clan. The meeting which took place at the residence of Mayor Nkenda Simon, we gathered is intended to despise plans that mayoral position should be rotate among the clans.

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

Paul Biya The King Who Ruled Nothing for 30 Years?

Paul Biya

 November 6, 2012 has come and gone with President Biya and the ruling CPDM celebrating his 30 years in power. The man who became Head of State on November 6, 9182 is today one of the longest serving Head of States in the World and the third in the African Continent.  Cameroonians who are 30 years old have never known any other President except Paul Biya. But how did he consolidate power to the point that his critics call him King. To Many of Biya’s critics, having clocked 30 years in power, President Biya is a king but he has ruled nothing when judged from the tempting moments during these years. What are those difficult moments?

CNU To CPDM

President Biya took over when Cameroon had the unique part system. And the ruling party was the CNU, with President Ahmadou Ahidjo as the party leader and Head of State. Logic would have had it that when President Biya became Head of State he was supposed to take the helm of the party. It was not so because late Ahmadou Ahidjo remained head of the CNU. President Biya was the vice president and on December 11, 1982 the central committee and political bureau of the CNU placed him in charge of party affairs in Ahidjo’s absence. Despite Biya’s loyalty to Ahidjo, a rift occurred in 1983 and Ahidjo went into exile. He accused President Biya of plots against him and even resigned as Head of the CNU. President Paul Biya became CNU President during an extraordinary session held on September 14, 1983. He held that portfolio for two years but another sad incidence forced him to transform the CNU into the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, in Bamenda in 1985.

Attempted Coup Plot

The rift between President Biya and his predecessor Ahidjo, widened as the latter fled into exile. He constantly accused President Biya of undermining his authority and legacy left behind. When President Biya took the helm of the CNU, he announced Presidential elections for January 14, 1984. He precipitated the elections for they were earlier scheduled for 1985. As the only candidate to this election, President Biya scored a walloping 99.98%. President Ahidjo who had fled into exile was put to trial in absentia for his involvement in a coup plot perpetrated in 1983 by him and two others. The court slammed them death sentences, but President Biya used his presidential clemency and commuted the sentences to life imprisonment. Biya was now in a fix. He decided to disband the Republican guards who were loyal to Ahidjo. He did this on April 5, 1984 and on April 6, 1984 another coup attempt on President Biya was foiled. The northerners were blamed for the coup and the hand of Ahidjo was suspected to have instigated the coup.

Wind Of Change

The wind of change that started in Europe and blew through Africa did not leave Cameroon indifferent. People manifested for multiparty politics. The nation was on a red alert. President Biya granted the wishes of Cameroonians with the liberty laws of 1990. Many political parties cropped up like mushrooms and were duly registered. Presidential elections were organized in 1992 and President Biya met his first ever real challenge. He won the elections with a score of 40 %. Ni John Fru Ndi of the opposition, Social Democratic Front, SDF followed closely with 36%. The opposition candidate contested the results claiming victory. This set the entire nation into a polarized state leading to strikes and marches for the stolen victory. And President Biya had to form a coalition in order to escape an imminent dominance of the opposition in parliament as they won a majority of seats.

Ghost Towns

If anything has ever shaken the very foundation of Cameroon and put President Paul Biya in difficulties it is the ghost towns in the 90s. During the ghost towns declared by the opposition that transformed itself into coalitions, the economy slummed as economic activities were halted. The government machinery could not grind smoothly. Investors were no longer coming and the tax evasion became the order of the day. The nation was paralyzed and the government confused. President Biya had to employ his wits to call for dialogue with the opposition that were the main brains behind the ghost towns. But the opposition was clamouring for sovereign national conference while the government wanted something else. However, the tripartite talks organized by the government diffuse the tension and economic activities resumed. But the opposition SDF boycotted the 1997 elections. In this election, President Paul Biya secured a 92.6% win over the other opposition candidates.

Economic Crises And Devaluation

The economic crises had rocked Africa since 1974. Cameroon did not feel the pinch until 1985 when the economic crises hit Cameroon like a bomb shell. President Paul Biya tasked Cameroonians to embark on agriculture as a means of solving the crises. Cameroonians who were already use to white-collar jobs found agriculture a bitter pill to swallow. Many did not even attempt to swallow the pill. But while President Biya was still looking for ways to take Cameroon out of the economic crises, a natural disaster hit Lake Nyos on August 21, 1986. People and their cattle were killed by the poisonous gas that came from the lake. International humanitarian efforts were mobilized and Cameroon benefited enormously from gifts donated by international organizations. But this cap in hand attitude was not going to help all Cameroonians or last for long.

Another devastating blow was dealt Cameroonians by the devaluation of the CFA currency. Civil servants had to see their salaries slashed. Ends were no longer meeting and tension was gradually boiling in the nation.

Corruption and Inertia Sets In

While President Biya was struggling to manage these very difficult moments, his closest collaborators were busy swindling state funds. They took more than their mouths could chew. But not only were the President’s collaborators involved in corruption, they were involved in inertia. The state machinery was bogus and ineffective. People were spending four hours at work and not even four hours of work. Despite President Biya’s policy of rigour and moralization, nothing was moving, as these slogans felt on deaf ears. And the consequent result was that Transparency International ranked Cameroon as the most corrupt country on three runs consecutively. President Biya set to work to reverse the situation. And he had to make hard choices as most of the embezzlers were his closest collaborators. He made the hard choices and threw most of them into prison. This reversed the trend and Cameroon had to honourably lost the trophy of corruption.

The Bakassi palaver

The Bakassi peninsula is today part of Cameron. It has for time in memorial been a headache to Cameroon leaders. Cameroon has lost valiant soldiers at Bakassi and even administrators. President Biya had to employ diplomacy at international level for Bakassi to revert to Cameroon as Nigeria had claimed ownership over that oil rich peninsula of the SW region of Cameroon. Although Cameroon had legitimacy over Bakassi, the area still remained a headache to President Paul Biya as soldiers were killed there regularly. Pirates had made Bakassi their safe haven and had taken hostages there, requiring the joint efforts of Cameroon and France before their release. And it was still from this area that pirates had been operating and raided banks in Limbe and Douala. Thus the Bakassi palaver up to its peaceful settlement had been one of the tempting moments of President Biya within the past 30 years.

Revision of Constitution

The Cameroon constitution was revised in 1996. Before the revision of the constitution, there were heated debates on the necessity of its revision. President Biya created the enabling environment and the constitution was revised given new dispensation in the functioning of the state machinery. There was going to be a constitutional council. There was to be the creation of Regions to replace provinces with decentralization, the creation of the senate and regional councils. But this very constitution placed a two term bar on presidential elections. This therefore meant that President Biya’s mandate acquired in 2004 was the last, because his first seven term mandate was acquired in 1997.

But President Paul Biya said the constitution limited the choice of Cameroonians. He asked for its revision. This met with stiff resistance from the opposition who saw it as a ploy to allow President Paul Biya another opportunity to contest the 2011 presidential elections. Marches were organized by some civil society organizations to denounce the revision of the constitution. The long and short of it is that the bill passed through parliament and the majority CPDM MPs voted for it while the opposition boycotted. Although the bill passed, it was one of those incidences that gave President Paul Biya night mares.

Stolen Wallet, G11 Syndrome and Misinformation

Lieutenant Luc Emane, one of President Biya’s closest collaborators stole his suitcase while they were on mission abroad. This act was so treacherous that President Biya ordered for his immediate arrest and repatriation home to face the music of justice. This came just at a time when the G11 syndrome (G11 are those who want to replace President Biya in 2011) had gained some prominence. Some of President Biya’s collaborators who had embezzled state funds were allegedly said to be using the funds to sponsor a smear campaign on the personality of the president. And that these detractors were trying to undermine the peace reigning in Cameroon through their nefarious plans of seizing by power what they can never achieve through the ballot box. For this reason, many fabricated reports were being circulated by agents of these detractors that President Biya and family have ill-gotten wealth starched in bank accounts abroad.

The February Strikes

In February 2008 there was an uprising that paralyzed four of the ten regions of Cameroon. People went on the streets because of rising food prices. The strike that was purported started by tanker and taxi drivers escalated, resulting to losses in human lives and property. The gravity of the strike could be measured in the down turn in economic activities. Looting became the order of the day. It was actually a challenging moment for President Biya. But as a serene leader, who knows how to absorb the shocks, he called the shots and the strike action ended. What is important today is that a soft cushion has been provided by government to absorb all the negative shocks of the rising food prices. The prices of basic commodities were reduced with an increase in the salaries of civil servants. Also subsidies and custom duties waved on so many imported basic commodities.

Lessons Learned

If there are any lessons to be drawn from the tempting moments of President Biya within 30 years, there are that great people are not those who have never fallen but those who get up after each fall. Also that trials and tribulations are moments of great reflection. Because after each tempting moment in President Biya’s 30 years reign comes a brighter idea for improvement. The result is the astronomical improvement in infrastructure, economic, social and political life of Cameroon. Much has been achieved in 30 years, but not without sacrifices by the population and steadfastness by President Paul Biya.

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

Atlast Biya Compensates 1992 Post Election Victims with 2Billion FCFA

 

Victims of 1992 Political Violence in NW to Share 2billion FCFA

At last, Fon Angwafor III of Mankon and some North West CPDM militants like Regina Mundi, others who suffered from the destruction of their properties in 1992 by opposition militants will at last be compensated.

PM Philemon Yang’s Director of cabinet, Paul Ghogomu, revealed in Bamenda during the North West launching of the CPDM mobilization of its militants towards the massive registration of militants ahead of the upcoming twin election (parliamentary and municipal) on Saturday, November 2, 2012.

Before some of the 1992 CPDM victims of 1992 political violence in the North West Region like Fon Angwafor III of Mankon whose houses were burnt in Bamenda, Paul Ghogomu said the Head of State has expressed his total sympathy to the victims and has ipso facto, allocated FCFA 2 billion for the compensation of the victims which will be made available as son as possible.

The disclosure of the good message from Paul Biya was provoked by former Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency cum the CPDM section president for Tubah, Peter Abety. He reminded the Prime Minister’s representative at the meeting, Paul Ghogomu, that 400 CPDM militants of the North West Region who suffered brutality and their property destroyed in 1992, were not happy to raise any money for the party because the compensation they expected from the government never came.

On the mobilization of the massive registration of CPDM militants in the voter’s registers which is already ongoing, Ghogomu added that the North West CPDM elite in Yaounde under the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, have disbursed a total of FCFA 34 million to assist the CPDM executives of all the sections in the North West. He explained that a million FCFA would be given to section presidents each to assist their teams to ensure that the militants register massively.

Following the publication of the CPDM Secretary General’s circular of October 3, 2012 relating to the participation of the CPDM in the compilation of voter registration, the North West CPDM chairman of strategy committee, Hon Nji Fidelis Muh-Ziah, corrected that “the recompilation of voter registration is in keeping with the electoral code and follows the guidelines of President Paul Biya, Head of State and national chairman of the CPDM party”. He said although registration of voters is conducted by ELECAM, the CPDM party will support the recompilation process by encouraging as many Cameroonians of voting age as possible especially CPDM electors to register and to eventually vote on election day.

According to Hon Nji Fidelis the CPDM party has created 2 committees to work in the field for the mobilization of potential voters to register like the supervision and support committees.

On the practical guide lines for the massive registration of militants and supporters of the CPDM in the North West Region, Hon Fidelis emphasized the importance of the present voter registration exercise noting that, “all upcoming and future elections shall be won or lost depending on the diligence (commitment and effort) with which we tackle this assignment” since recompilation is from scratch.

After the November 2, 2012 launching, the divisional CPDM leaders were dispatched to do same in their respective divisions of the North West Region beginning from Ngoketunjia on Sunday, November 3, 2012 whose team leader is Paul Ghogomu.

The launching was chaired by the First Vice National President of the CPDM party, Fon Angwafor III of Mankon.

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

CPJ Warns Against Unlawful Charges Against Journalists in Cameroon

Courtesy of CPJ Press Freedom Online
The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Cameroonian officials to drop criminal charges against two journalists who were arrested last month in the southwestern town of Buea for covering a secessionist gathering.
The two are free on bail but face fines and up to six months in jail.
Martin Yembe Fon, who is editor of local newspaper The Frontier Telegraph, and Bashiru Edua, a Nigerian national and editor of African Drum magazine publishing in Jos, Nigeria, still face charges of unlawful assembly.
Today, the court heard their defense and the case was adjourned until March 14, their lawyer, Ajong Stanislaus Anuaboudem, told CPJ.
Fon and Edua were arrested on October 1 as they tried to cover a gathering at a local church, according to news reports and local journalists.
Police officers stopped Fon and Edua and seized their press cards before ordering them to go inside, Fon told CPJ. “While in the church, we took pictures of the over 100 activists and church officials praying,” he said. “Midway into the prayers, a large contingent of policemen invaded the premises with police vans, ordering all to walk into the vans or be brutalized.”
Fon and Edua were driven along with the others to the central police station in Buea, where they were interrogated, fingerprinted, and photographed, leading independent daily Le Messager reported.
After 10 hours of detention, they were taken to court and charged with unlawful assembly under Section 231(a) of the Cameroonian Penal Code, defense lawyer Anuaboudem told CPJ. The charge carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a fine of 100,000 CFA francs (US$200). The journalists pleaded not guilty and were released on bail at midnight on October 2, after six hours at the courthouse, Fon said.
Police have not returned Fon’s digital camera or recorder, he said.
“Martin Yembe Fon and Bashiru Edua were apparently unconvenient witnesses to a crackdown on a gathering of secessionists, an issue of national public interest the Cameroonian government would rather suppress,” said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. “We urge Cameroon authorities to drop charges against the two journalists, who were doing their job.”
The activists had gathered to commemorate the date in 1961 on which the local province–formerly under British colonial mandate as Southern Cameroons–became part of the French-speaking Republic of Cameroon, according to the journalists and news reports.
For the government, the date is a commemoration of national unity, but locals use the occasion to renew long-standing demands for secession from Cameroon. Le Messager quoted an unnamed police officer as saying that security forces stormed the church to prevent the group from staging a protest march after the service.
At an October 19 press conference, Cameroon government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary denied that journalists are detained in the country for their work, according to news reports. He was speaking in response to joint findings by CPJ, PEN International and France-based Internet Sans Frontières that investigating corruption and reporting on political unrest are punishable acts for Cameroonian journalists.
“We can observe, while regretting it, that certain ordinary citizens, journalists by profession, sometimes find themselves in our prisons, following accusations based on common law offenses, punishable by criminal law,” Bakary said.
CPJ Press Freedom Online




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

Ben Muna, Adamu Ndam Njoya, Jean Le Dieu Momo Dump G7

One of the greatest achievements of the Biya regime in 30 years has been the manner at which it always succeeds in manipulating the opposition to play it game. For three decades, the Biya regime has managed to develop and even patronize all other “forces” of the opposition by breaking all the whims and he used the same tricks to make the intellectuals and academics to be helpless, unproductive and ineffective and they found solace in signing motions of support. What is really frustrating is that there is this myth manufactured by the ruling party that the opposition always fall prey and to end up in disperse ranks. Three political parties formerly members of G7, a political alliance created after the last Presidential elections have dumped the group. According information gathered, Ben Muna of AFP, Adamu Ndam Njoya of UDC and Jean Le Dieu Momo (who quit barely two months after it formation) have created a new political front. Sources hinted that Ben Muna, Jean Le Dieu Momo and Adamu Ndam Njoya's new alliance has been created in preparation for the upcoming municipal and legislative elections. Yet political analysts are of the opinion that the formation of a new political front will lead to the collapse of G7 which has been paraded as the main opposition block in the country. 

However, confidential sources say negotiations to form a republican front started some six months ago due to the fact that some leaders think they are more powerful than others. Garga Haman who had vowed to keep the block united was taken aback when he was informed that Ben Muna and Ndam Njoya had dumped G7. As for Jean Le Dieu Momo, since their meetings in Yaounde, he had never been spotted in any meeting organized by G7. The absence of Ben Muna and Ndam Njoya during the last meeting that took place in Bamenda some three months ago was suspicious. Yet, as reported, the arrogance demonstrated by Ni John Fru Ndi to the representative of Kah Walla and Ben Muna our sources hinted has also contributed to destroying G7. Accordingly, we gathered that Kah Walla is contemplating on leaving G7 as well. (Lets Wait and See)


Communique of  Republican Pact (French)

Les leaders des partis politiques de l’opposition signataires du pacte républicain se sont réunis à Yaoundé ce 07 novembre 2012 et se sont penchés sur l’actualité nationale et internationale : Au plan international :-Sur la réélection de Barack Obama à la magistrature suprême des Etats unis, Saluons hautement cette réélection ainsi que le bon déroulement du processus électoral et l’esprit du fair play du candidat républicain. Espérons que ce bel exemple de démocratie inspire les dirigeants africains en général et camerounais en particulier ;
- Sur la situation en Syrie, en appelons aux décideurs de ce monde de prendre les mesures urgentes et nécessaire pour venir à bout de cette boucherie humaine qui se déroule sous nos yeux depuis plus d’un an ;
- Déclarons l’impérieuse nécessité d’assoir une véritable solidarité internationale et pour l’Union Africaine, la nécessité de fonder les bases solides du développement d’une Afrique où les peuples, les Institutions et les Etats jouent pleinement leurs rôles ;
Au plan National :

- Sur la ratification du Pacte Républicain : Nous, leaders signataires du Pacte Républicain annonçons au peuple camerounais, qu’un évènement historique a eu lieu en ce jour : la ratification du Pacte Républicain ; acte par lequel nous,  leaders signataires, ayant évalué le parcours de l’opposition camerounaise durant ces deux dernières décennies, ayant pris conscience des travers qui ont jonché ce parcours,  par cette ratification, reconnaissons la nécessité pour l’opposition camerounaise de se repenser, acceptons de cheminer désormais ensemble dans la nouvelle dynamique telle que théorisée dans le Pacte Républicain ; en appelons à la conscience patriotique des autres acteurs politiques et de la société civile, ainsi que de toutes les forces vives de la nation, afin qu’ils nous rejoignent pour que nous parachevions ensemble cette lutte pour la libération du peuple camerounais meurtri par 30 années de misère et d’oppression ; 
- Sur les inondations qui ont frappé plusieurs régions de notre pays, dénonçons la négligence de la maintenance des digues par le régime en place, qui est la cause principale des inondations dans le septentrion, et la non assistance des sinistrés des autres localités ; annonçons notre prochaine descente sur le terrain du grand nord dans les semaines avenir pour porter assistance à nos frères et sœurs ainsi sinistrés ;
- Sur l’opération épervier : Constatons l’échec d’une opération qui avait été présentée à l’opinion comme un processus d’assainissement de la gouvernance et de la protection du patrimoine national. Constatons que cette opération a perdu de sa crédibilité en mutant en une opération de règlement de comptes politiques, de vengeance au mépris des principes universels de justice et d’éthiques ;
- Sur les inscriptions biométriques : Condamnons la violation de la loi concernant la période des inscriptions. Toutefois, demandons au peuple camerounais d’aller massivement s’inscrire.
Signataires :  Dr Adamou Ndam Njoya, Barrister Bernard A. MUNA, Me Jean de Dieu MOMO;
Les portes restent ouvertes à toute personnalité, toute organisation, éprise de patriotisme qui pense qu'il est grand temps
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