20, October 2016

Mfoundi Memorandum: Patriarch Onambele says Minister Mbarga Mboa and Co. are not from Mfoundi constituency 0

The patriarch of Mfoundi, Emile Onambele Zibi has reacted to the crisis meeting held on Tuesday, October the 18th, 2016 by four members of government from his native constituency over the alleged Memorandum against President Paul Biya. Emile Onambele Zibi openly attacked the main initiator of the crisis forum, Philippe Mbarga Mboa stating that their one year ban on him was inconsequential.

To Emile Onambele, Minister Philippe Mbarga Mboa who chaired the meeting is neither patriarch nor elite, or traditional leader, or anything in the Mfoundi Division. Onambele wondered aloud that, “In what capacity was Mbarga Mboa speaking?  Emile Onambele added that among the four minister of the ruling CPDM party who endorsed the decision against him, there were some that hail from Soa in the Department of Méfou-et-Afamba and have no right to rant on Mfoundi affairs.

The Mfoundi patriarch even made fun of the venue chosen to host the crisis talks. He observed that the four ministers were no longer sure of being in government pending a cabinet reshuffle to be announced soon. Emile Onambele Zibi plans to organize a press conference to unpack everything about this Memorandum affair. He revealed that the Mfoundi community have never written a memorandum to the Head of State and that what is now being discussed never came from him or the Mfoundi elites.

On Tuesday, October 18 2016, some elites of Mfoundi including four members of government, gathered and took a stand against a Memorandum from Mfoundi Division addressed to President Biya. The document carried vitriolic charges against President Paul Biya and had the signature of Emile Onambele Zibi in his capacity as president of  the indigenous people of Mfoundi.

After the meeting on Tuesday, the indigenous people of Mfoundi signed in return what they called “The Declaration of Mfoundi” and distanced themselves from their leader. They also decided to quarantine its presumed author, Emile Onambele Zibi for a period of one year. The four Ministers from Mfoundi who took part in the meeting were: Philippe Mbarga Mboa, Louis Mama Fouda, Laurent Serge Etoundi and Ngoa Seraphin.

By Rita Akana in Yaounde