Hon. Awudu Mbaya Spits Fire Again, Accuses ELECAM of Manipulating Registration Figures

By Ron Devoe 

The lack digital finger prints during the September 30, 2013 municipal/legislative elections is creating an atmosphere of uncertainty in Nkambe as ELECAM releases contradictory figures on the total number of registered voters for Municipal and Legislative elections. Talking to this reporter, Hon. Awudu Mbaya, SDF Parliamentary candidate for the last September 30, 2013 Parliamentary elections wondered whether there were separate voters’ registers for the twin election. He added that he was shocked to discover from the partial results sheet from ELECAM Nkambe council branch that the total number of registered voters was not coherent. “I want ELECAM to explain to the population the magic that orchestrated the disparity in the total number of registered voters in Nkambe”. Justifying his argument with the partial result sheets, Hon. Awudu Mbaya said it is treacherous that instead of  23.357 voters, ELECAM partial result sheets indicates that the total number of registered voters in Nkambe stood at 23.600 for the municipal elections and 23.421 voters registered as if there were two separate registers during recompilation. “This is indicative that something went wrong with the electoral register and I am now convinced that the information I am getting that some 5000 voters’ cards were printed by some individuals and distributed in Nkambe maybe true”, he continued. According to Hon. Awudu Mbaya these conflicting figures explain why in some polling stations the numbers of vote casts were more than the registered number of voters. He reiterated that this act could happen with the complicity of ELECAM Nkambe council branch. He recalled that in 2004 Chief Ephraim Inoni absconded with a ballot box just because he was gunning to be appointed Prime Minister and it came to pass that the same individual has been nabbed by Sparrow Hawk. He likened the electoral malpractices of the CPDM in Nkambe to that pathetic scenario. Harping on the rigging machinery of the CPDM, Hon. Awudu Mbaya hauled over the coals of Shey Jones Yembe and Co for conniving and colluding to rig peoples’ consciences and victory because someone is craving with the desire to be appointed Prime Minister. He said he was shocked that the same people were on tree tops challenging President Biya to carve Nkambe as a Special Constituency after the polls. It should be recalled that Hon. Awudu Mbaya being conscious of the fact that his constituency extends to Ndu, he was apt enough to establish a Radio station at Ndu and besides that he also constructed a step down TV transmitter for the electorates in Ndu and the entire Donga Mantung Division. These initiative pundits say paved the way for SDF victory in Ndu. “As politician, I think the key is we have to challenge the way some people practice politics and at the same time make sure that during voting the principle of one man-one vote is respected”, he concluded. Classified sources linked to the SDF district secretariat in Nkambe however hinted that the SDF is taking the President of ELECAM, the Director of Elections and the Nkambe Council ELECAM head to court for concocting and manipulating the voters’ register. Public opinion in Nkambe is looking at Dr. Fonkam to explain whether ELECAM had two registers given the inconsistency in the total number of registered voters.

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

Cameroonian Gay Rights Blogger Receives Death Threats

 By Walikuzu Solarin

A Cameroonian gay rights blogger, Suh Edwin, is reportedly receiving death threats from unknown persons.

Suh Edwin, who has been writing and clamouring for the human rights of homosexuals in Cameroon using his blog, www.suhedwinsblog.com, is said to have received anonymous calls and text messages calling on him to stop writing and advocating for the rights of gays in Cameroon or face the consequences. The anonymous calls and text messages threatened to take away his life and that of his adopted kids if he does not stop his writings and advocacy for gay rights.

Suh Ediwn had fled the country over two years ago after fearing for his life when he found out that he was in danger because of his gay rights activities. However, he did not stop after going into hiding and has continued to receive similar threats and reports say the threats have intensified and are more sinister this time around. It is believed that the threats have intensified because of the fact that he has been westernised and the perpetrators believe if he returns home his gay rights activism will take a different dimension.

“All men and women have a right to live their lives in the best possible manner they deem fit and deserve to be respected for who they are. Human dignity and respect is undermined when we persecute others for their sexual orientation out of bigotry and intolerance. Our individualism and uniqueness accords nature its rhythm and symphony that symbolises the beauty in nature and since homosexual lifestyle poses no threat nor danger to others, it is sheer hypocrisy, ignorance and undue intolerance for innocuous nuances of those we perceive as different from us, to be criminalised or worse still, make them object of hate-attack,” Suh says in one of the articles on his blog.

While homosexuality is illegal in Cameroon with a maximum sentence of five years in jail, there is also widespread homophobia.

It would be recalled that a Cameroonian journalist and gay rights activist, Eric Ohena Lembembe, was on Monday 15 July 2013 found murdered in his home in Yaounde.  He was the Executive Director of CAMFAIDS, a human rights organisation working to protect the rights of sexual minorities in Cameroon.

Because of the spate of homophobic attacks in Cameroon, there was strong speculation that Eric's death was connected to his sexual orientation and related activism.

Lembembe’s murder came on the heels of other anti-gay violence including the arson attack on the office of Alternatives Cameroun, an organisation fighting for the rights of gays, by unknown assailants. The office of Barrister Michel Togue, a human rights lawyer, was also reported broken into and documents stolen. Both Togue and legal advocate, Barrister Alice Nkom, have received repeated death threats for their defense of homosexual individuals in the courts.

Following Lembembe’s murder, other Cameroonian gay rights activists, visibly shaken, scared and frightened, were not only shocked by the fact that they had lost a friend and colleague in this brutal manner, but also by the possibility that they might soon be a target.

While some of the activists reportedly went underground, others resorted to tone down their activism or operate from home instead of in public places where they might be associated with anti-gay rights activities. A climate of fear has since enveloped the gay rights activism in Cameroon since Lembembe’s death.

But this did not intimidate some of the activists like Suh Edwin who continued to exert pressure on the government to bring the perpetrators to justice even after having gone underground.

While Eric Lembembe was buried in Yaounde on 3 August 2013 with his funeral attended by United States ambassador, the United Kingdom's High Commissioner and the European Union's programme director for Cameroon, Barrister Alice Nkom, his lawyer, says there has been no credible effort to investigate Lembembe’s death or collect the elements necessary for a good investigation.

But Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, said “there is no conspiracy of state, nor any social plot in Cameroon, which is directed toward homosexuals. Many homosexuals live and move freely in Cameroon without being beaten or suffering punishment.”

Meanwhile, some people have been jailed in Cameroon for homosexual activity. The most recent is that of Joseph Ombga and another underage youth, who were jailed for homosexual charges. Ombga was handed a two-year jail term while the underage youth had a suspended one-year jail sentence.

Ombga was arrested at his home in August 2011 and had been charged with sex with a minor after he was arrested in the company of the youth to whom he wanted to sell a porn video, his lawyers said.

Another case is that of Jean-Claude Roger Mbede, who was arrested by security forces for sending SMS messages to a male acquaintance and sentenced to three years' imprisonment. Several other cases abound.

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

Municipal Elections: Detailed Results, Vote Counts Per Political Party in NW

Following are detailed Results of the election in the North West by division and council area.

Division	Council Branch	CPDM	SDF	Others
Boyo	Boyo (4 Counils)
	Belo	4,082	9,235	UDP-274
	Fonfuka	3,637	1,224	UDP- 70 MRC-192
	Fundong	5,769	5,573	UDP-101 UNDP-487
	Njinikom	2,313	3,599	UDP-216
Bui	Bui (6 councils)
	Elak-Oku	10,303	6,514
	Jakiri	6,200	6,935
	Kumbo	7,177	15,621
	Mbiame	4,341	1,605
	Nkum	5,158	6,166
	Nkor	3,354	3,482
Donga-Mantung	Donga Mantung (5 councils)
	Ako	3,941	4,186	UNDP-124
	Misaje	4,350	2,327	UNDP-281
	Ndu	8,585	11,301
	Nkambe	10,296	9,609
	Nwa	8,723	4,609
Menchum	Menchum (4 councils)
	Benakuma	5,069	3,036
	Furu-Awa	1,160	1,227
	Wum	5,023	3,732
	Zhoa	5,955	7,106
Mezam	Mezam (7 councils)
	Bafut	5,700	7,295
	Bali	6,088	2,673	UNDP- 73
	Bamenda I	3,348	3,266
	Bamenda II	7,720	23,090	UNDP-539
	Bamenda III	4,129	13,749	MRC-467
	Santa	9,647	9,095	UNDP-291
	Tubah	5,341	7,722	UDP-556
Momo	Momo (5 councils)
	Andek	2,360	1,719
	Batibo	4,238	7,666	UNDP-300
	Mbengwi	4,130	3,688	APF-870
	Njikwa	1,913	1,449
	Widikum	5,202	2,576
Ngoketunjia	Ngoketunjia (3 councils)
	Babessi	5,753	5,478
	Balikumbat	6,094	3,030
	Ndop	11,409	7,243

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