Snap Cameroon Presidential Polls is Electoral Fraud!

 Fellow Cameroonians, the press of late forecasts President Paul Biya pressing for early presidential elections in Cameroon for frivolous reasons which include Boko Haram, hosting of female and male Africa football marches in 2017 and 2019!
In democracies, for any governance date to be changed, the country must be in total crisis – Nigeria head quarter of Boko Haram terrorists recently organized a successful presidential and allied national polls. Countries worldwide respect their electoral and governance calendars irrespective of whether they are organizing /hosting international or national sport or other events. Meaningful nations and their leaders conduct elections and plan events out of their mandates irrespective of whether or not there are terrorist attacks. Cameroon however is different – an individual here stays in power as president for over 33 years (incumbent Paul Biya) for flimsy, absurd reasons. Now precipitated elections are to be held because of terrorist attacks and football matches taking place in Cameroon. Such peculiar snap elections are again rigged in favour of the Biya ruling party! In the era of Biya predecessor – President Ahmadou Ahidjo long stay in office was justified by false claims of maintaining national unity against UPC terrorists who were instead Cameroon independence freedom fighters. This was to see, thousands of nationalist Cameroonians killed and multiparty democracy scrapped from Cameroon. The French presidents then despite practicing democracy in France shamelessly helped to perpetuate the Cameroon dictator and used our country as their farm and market. Today incumbent president of France - Francois Hollande apologizes for those past atrocities of the 1950s, 1960s…..
We advice Biya not to tamper with the electoral calendar of 2018 for Cameroon presidential and allied polls! We advice Biya to scrap the pro CPDM ELECAM that passes for Cameroon elections managing body, we counsel the regime to revamp the constitution to ensure separation of powers. Mr. Biya should allow smooth succession and continuation of the country’s governance, and activities and event by his successor irrespective of whether he/she (the successor) comes from CPDM or other Cameroon political parties - this history has shown practiced by successful civilizations. Should our advice fall on deaf ears, as usual, I, Felix Teche Nyamusa together with other meaningful Cameroonians will lead Cameroon to freedom as was recently done on President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso (27years on seat). Nigeria, south Africa, the developed world are glaring examples of countries that have led their citizens to progress and freedom through force where their leadership remained intransigent to good governance and the people’s wish. Let Biya be told the open secret that Cameroonians are aware that our parliament is rubberstamp. Any decision taken by these socalled legislators who got their mandates due to regime electoral fraud is regarded with contempt. Summoning the parliament to pass anti people decision including snap polls ahead of the 2018 presidential and other polls is worthless!

 By Felix Teche Nyamusa, SDF 2018 presidential hopeful (pending primaries)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Muslim Seleka Rebel Leader Declares Autonomous State in Central African Republic

A Muslim rebel leader in the Central African Republic (CAR) has declared an autonomous state in his northeastern stronghold after rejecting upcoming elections aimed at ending years of conflict.

A spokesman and chief lieutenant for Nourredine Adam, the leader of a splinter faction of the Muslim Seleka rebel group, said the Republic of Logone was proclaimed in the northeast on Monday.

"What we want first of all is autonomy. Then we'll look at how to move towards independence," Maouloud Moussa told Reuters from the group's headquarters in the town of Kaga-Bandoro.

"Muslims are marginalised ... The north has been abandoned by the central government. There are no roads, no hospitals, no schools."The spokesman for Central African Republic's transitional government immediately denounced the rebels' declaration, Reuters reported. "We call upon the international community and the international forces present in Central African Republic to do everything possible to neutralise the capacity to do harm of these terrorists," said Dominique Said Panguindji.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Election of Deputy Mayor of the Nkambe Council: Stakes and Implications

An extra ordinary session to elect the first deputy mayor of the council holds today Friday December 18, a communique issued by Ngabir Paul Bantar has indicated. The forty councilors of the Nkambe council are expected to elect one of them to enter into the shoes of the former first deputy, Shey Emmanuel Yunwe who died last October after a lengthened illness.

Sources say today’s extra ordinary session shall be chaired by the Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung Division, Ngone Ndodemesape Bernard. Though the exercise is only restricted to councilors, a school of thought holds that several forces have entered into the game. Notably, local party officials of Donga Mantung I allegedly have imposed a candidate on grounds of party discipline. More so, it is alleged that since Shey Emmanuel Yunwe hailed from Tabenken, the people want one of the councilors of that area to replace him. A woman name withheld has been tipped by party officials with the support of his in-law.  Allegedly, this decision has not been easy for some councilors to swallow as some councilors have vowed to challenge it. Tussle over the decision to impose a candidate by local party hierarchy is putting the party at cross roads. The issue of capability and aptitude has also resurfaced given that majority of the councilors would prefer someone who can do the job than someone who is handpicked to please this or that person. Ye a classified source hinted this reporter that three councilors of Tabenken held a secret meeting to endorse one candidate to contest against the one imposed by the party. Though Madame Samba is tipped as the next 1st Deputy mayor by local party officials, she might not have an easy ride sources say.
Adamu Musa of Binshua, Chifu George of Chup, Nforgwei John of Mbu-warr, Nformi Ali of Nkambe popular opinion holds could make good deputy mayor for Nkambe. Though Adamu Musa and Chifu George are not resident in the municipality, Nformi Ali (head of the council list) and Nforgwei John may sweep sympathy yet it is not clear whether any of them is interested . This is however pertinent because only one deputy mayor is constantly in the office and the work load demands at least two of them to assist Ngabir Paul Bantar.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

When Judges Are The Criminals

 By Ayah Paul
The Justice and Peace Committee of People’s Action Party is investigation a very serious allegation about the criminal conduct of the Buea State Counsel’s Chambers. We have not verified the accuracy of the story; but because of the gravity of a probable sadistic infliction of debilitating pains on an innocent Cameroonian by the very persons who have taken oath to do justice to all manner of people, we have decided to publish the story as it is told. Besides, insistence on the veracity of the story by an eye-witness does compel us to raise the alarm forthwith!

The story goes that some resident of Great Soppo, Buea, kept a dog. The dog fought with a neighbour’s dog and the latter dog died. Many Cameroonians being hopelessly ignorant and of average intelligence, the keeper of the dead dog lodged a criminal complaint against the keeper of the surviving dog with the State Counsel’s Chambers in Buea…
When the “suspect” reported to the State Counsel’s Chambers, he was not even allowed to talk. He was immediately remanded in prison custody where he has been awaiting trial for eight (8) months now. Our informer was categorical that he shared the same “ward” in prison with the victim in question. His declaration was corroborated by another inmate of the prison. And a lawyer who recently visited the prison was in no doubt that similar cases could be legion in that prison.
We were unable to find an answer as to whether anyone properly trained in the law could be so daft as to boldly adumbrate and apply such obnoxious new principle of law as vicarious liability in criminal law. Nor could we stop wondering if the relevant officer of the court voyaged into customary law where tenets are rife that persons do get transformed into animals; and that that was what probably led to the conclusion that the “suspect” was in the dog: a dog-man? … Unbelievable!
We are seriously investigating the matter; and the details will be yours the soonest possible. But reading this story already into the recent report that close to 63% of inmates in Camerounese prisons are awaiting trial, few would seriously be in doubt about the veracity of the story. Is not it a notorious fact that some Camerounese judges are prone to overzealous sadistic excesses?
Be the situation as it may, our own thinking is that the real question is what the judicial council is doing about such homicidal callousness of judges who persistently trample human rights underfoot in a country that has ratified the Geneva Convention on civil and political rights!

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

New Climate Science Plans for Africa

Aaron kaahYancho (PAMACC TEAM PARIS)

Africa has lost close to 9billion US dollars to climate related challenges since 1980. Yet more near future climate change related challenges are expected to retard the development of the continent. Rain fed Agriculture is dwindling and more people are likely to die from starvation and malnutrition. Floods and droughts are bound to multiply.

In search of solutions, there is now need  to connect  climate weather information with decision makers in a bid  to effectively manage this risk in the near  future according to Jean-Pierre Roux of the Climate Development and  knowledge Network CDKN Africa.

Future Climate for Africa-FCFA is a new ongoing project for Africa that will advance scientific knowledge understandingand predict climate variabilities in the next four years .It will support the integration of science in to decision making and demonstrate how this improved knowledge can be useful.

Considering the setbacks that Africa has not been improving in climate science in the last decades on like other continents, this FCFA project will develop climate information in four regions of Africa. According to Jean-Pierre Roux focus will be to examine how climate science integrates with other challenges and how this important development tool can add or subtract to the worries that communities already face. “So we will be demonstrating and also learning new ways on how to improve lives  for Africa over these exiting challenges” Jean –Pierre remarked.

Taking in to the existing  plethora of challenges on the ground, science laps will be created and demonstration grounds planted in urban and rural settings to give access to decision makers, budding researcher’s scientist and communities to reconcile their idea with science data  and to strategize how best these information and scientific  data can be useful for Africa. “Research on visible climate science will be undertaken on a pan African and Regional level so that this data and  research will and can help give a foray in to how development can be supported” Jean –Pierre added.

In Jean Pierre vision this project will give birth to a new determined breed of African climate and weather scientists whose output will encourage and motivate development. “This will be felt in the grass roots as food will boost food crop production and other livelihood projects for the people of Africa will be boosted  and good practices will be shared as well” He remarked.

This FCFA project which is a low cost effective opportunity to enhance the prosperity of Africa through better climate change adaptation is worth 30milion US dollars. It is funded by the UK Department for International Development and the National Research Council that promotes the use of climate information in development projects.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

African CSO’s Challenged to Monitor Green Climate Funds in Africa

  Aaron kaahYancho (PAMACC TEAM PARIS)

In seeking solutions on how to address the adaptation needs of the most vulnerable communities in Africa on cop21, Civil Society Organizations in Africans meeting under the coordination of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance PACJA and its partners last evening agreed that better stakeholder engagement and monitoring was needed in accessing and executing the Green Climate Funds GCF   in Africa.

Acknowledging that Africa was seeking urgent transformation solutions, the executive secretary general of PACJA MithikaMwenda while warning that Africa should not be short changed in climate funding reminded all that Africa needed adequate and proper  finance delivered schemes  for our communities. He harped on the existence of the GCF and called on the CSO’S and the GCF representatives to ensure that the cash was not only available but accessible to the needy communities. In questioning how the processes and monitoring would be managed Mithika said a lot of questions still remain unanswered.“Financing is critical for action and we want to know”He told the GCF representatives.

Reacting to the worries of the Executive secretary general of PACJA, Clifford Polycarp - Country Representative Dialogue manager of the Green Climate Fund GCF in the Republic of Korea called on the CSO’s in Africa to create an institutional mind-set for success. On closing the financial adaptation gap Clifford remarked that his organization had pledged 10.8billion and 60% had been realised in terms of resources from 36 countries but cried that more resources were yet to be mobilised.“Mobilising resources is an effort yet to be achieved” he said. Clifford went further to explain that the fund had a strategy of funding 50% of its adaptation projects in the rural communities of Africa. He told the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance that the credibility of accredited CSO’s and community base organizations was solicited in the proper implementation of GCF in Africa. “This will help to provide feedback on who was benefitting and the impact in your communities” He observed.

Taking the cue, Fiona Percy form CARE INTERNATIONAL  reflected on how adaptation finance couldhelp the people who are most vulnerable in Africa. “Those who are most vulnerable have the least voice” she said. Fiona told the CSOs that her organization had been running an adaptation learning program for Africa aimed at increasing the capacities of vulnerable people in Sun Sahara Africa to adapt to climate variabilities. Affirming that vulnerabilities had left a lot disparity in Africa, Fiona challenged African civil society organizations to have a voice and decisions over their own destinies. “Keep an eye on what the funding is doing” She cautioned.

Citing the good examples on some of the GCF projects in Africa WangareKirumba of the Kenyan National Environment Authority (NEMA) examined how far Africa had gone in converting these funds for its profits. “Only 20 institutions had benefitted these funds over the last 6years on Africa” she lamented. Classifying this number as minored Wangare hammered on the fact that there was need to mobilise internally to ensure that climate finance mobilisation is an institutionally on Africa.“A Stakeholder engagement is critical. The capacity to coordinate should be figured out properly by CSO’s to move from consultation to engagement” Wangare remarked. Calling on CSO’s to strategies on how to getting more  resources into the accreditation process in order to benefit these funds properly Wangare called for capacity building at all levels to meets up with the uncertainties andfuture expectations.  

Issues pertaining to gender disparities and adaptation, stakeholder engagement and credibility, grants, loans and capital contributions were also examined by the panellists.

In closing the financial needs of the vulnerable communities on adaptation the GCF will make available 50billion dollars annually till 5050. In 2014 the Fund approved 20 projects in the world to the tune of 170 billion US dollars with 7 owned by African entities. The challenged is now in the hands of the African CSO’s to cease this opportunity and makes things better for the future according to WangareKirumba of the Kenyan National Environment Authority. This session was moderated by Sam Ogallah Samson PACJA programs manager.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Africa maintains the Issue of Differentiation is Important on COP 21

 Aaron kaahYancho (PAMACC TEAM PARIS)

“The debate on differentiation is a red line for Africa and has to continue on Cop 21 because Africa is looking at it from a historic perspective”. Tosi MpanuMpanu the former chair of the Africa Group of Negotiator (AGN) reiterated during a focused working session of the Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) that aimed at reflecting on the potential outcomes of Cop21 and its adaptation needs for Africa. While insisting that it was necessary for the debate to ensue, Mpanu called on the Annex II countries to pay their debt. “It is not charity- it is an obligation” Mpanu demanded.

According to Mpanu, developed countries hold historical responsibility for climate change.  Referring to the Kyoto Protocol he recounted how the Annex II countries owe a “climate debt” to developing countries. While digging up issues of Finance, adaptation, technology transfer which the former chair termed primordial for Africa, he enveloped the support of the developed countries to Africa as an ultimate test of good will. On this score, Mpanu said there was no clarity about the climate finance donations for a post-2020 prospects. He frown that   the proposed US$100 billion of climate finance was merely a paper tiger.  Comparing and contrasting Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), which are likely to become legally binding instrument at the end of cop21, without   a legally binding financial framework challenged Africa to strengthen its climate action. 

Expressing hope that  COP 21  can redynamize confidence in multilateral processes following the failure of  Copenhagen, Hon AminataNiang, Member, Pan African Parliament who represented the president of the Pan African Parliamentary group on climate change confirmed like the UN Secretary general that there was no time to waste in tackling climate change . Hon. Aminata said the hopes for Africa was for temperature to stay below 1.5*C.  “And to achieve this we needed an equitable agreement on Paris to rise to the challenge” She added.

While explaining the genesis of the negotiations earlier on, Seth Osafo former Senior Legal Advisor, UNFCCC had thrown more light on the Kyoto Protocol. Seth pinpointed that Africa needed only a legal binding document that was applicable to

all parties.  Examining the Kyoto and it legal implementations Seth decried why the issue of differentiation as contained in Article 3 of the UNFCCC was being pushed aside by the developed countries on Cop21. “Paris seems to be talking more about an agreement and this agreement might contain anything or nothing at all.” He said. He went further to classify issues of historical responsibility, differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) and equity as the only game changers for Africa.  Extending the solidarity of the Asian civil society groups with their Africa Peers, LidyNacpil, Regional Coordinator, and Jubilee South commented the Africa Group of Negotiators at the UNFCCC. Lidy shamed the divide and rule tactic of the wealthy countries to weaken the coalition of the developing countries . .” Developing countries have the moral authority to call rich governments to account for delivering pledges that are not even half of their fair share.” She lamented. Lidy Urged the African negotiators to insist on scaling up of the financing targets.

Maria Phiri, Gender and Climate Change Expert, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) called for a gender sensitive agreement on Cop21. While insisting that specific guidelines must be laid down Maria maintained that the issue of gender at COP 21 was also anchored on historical responsibility and equity principles.

Moderating the session MithikaMwenda Secretary General, of PACJA had questioned the outcome from COP 21 drafted text which stood at 50. “We must question why many options exist in the text and why we do not yet see a ray of light as we face out in the first week of these deliberations.” Mithika cried.

 


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)