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91-year old Biya to seek eighth term in 2025 presidential election

24, August 2024

91-year old Biya to seek eighth term in 2025 presidential election 0

Cameroon’s long-serving President, Paul Biya, is reportedly set to run for an eighth term in the 2025 Presidential Election.

This was confirmed by the founder of the Foreign Press Association Africa, Kennedy Wandera, on Thursday, who cited a report from News media, The EastAfrican.

The report read, “Cameroon is due to hold its next presidential election in 2025, longtime President Paul Biya will be 93. He has confirmed that he will contest.”

At 91 years old, Biya is one of the world’s oldest and longest-serving leaders, having held the presidency since 1982. Before ascending to the highest office, Biya served as the country’s Prime Minister for seven years, from 1975 to 1982, under then-President Ahmadou Ahidjo.

In a controversial move, Biya recently postponed the country’s Parliamentary and Municipal elections until 2026, citing security concerns in the Anglophone regions, where a separatist conflict has been raging since 2016.

The conflict, which began as protests against perceived marginalisation by the Francophone-dominated government, has since escalated into a full-blown insurgency, with armed groups calling for the independence of the English-speaking North West and South West regions.

Biya’s time in power has been marked by a combination of political stability and growing discontent, with his administration often criticised for authoritarian practices, including the suppression of opposition parties, restrictions on press freedom, and the use of security forces to maintain control. Despite these challenges, Biya has managed to maintain a tight grip on power, winning a series of elections that critics argue were marred by fraud and irregularities.

Source: Arise TV

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Camwater partners with Labogenie to upgrade water infrastructure

20, August 2024

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Camwater partners with Labogenie to upgrade water infrastructure 0

Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation (Camwater) signed a technical assistance agreement with the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (Labogenie) on Friday, August 16, 2024, in Yaoundé.

Camwater, the public company managing Cameroon’s potable water treatment and distribution network, aims to leverage Labogenie’s expertise in designing and strengthening hydraulic infrastructure.

Under the agreement, Labogenie will conduct geotechnical studies to assess soil conditions and determine the optimal foundation design for water infrastructure projects. The laboratory will also oversee work on all Camwater projects, including the rehabilitation, maintenance, and construction of water treatment plants, pumping stations, and distribution networks.

“This partnership marks a new phase in the development of our activities. Camwater, whose mission is to ensure access to quality drinking water for the Cameroonian population, must adhere to industry standards and ensure structured support in the execution of civil engineering projects,” stated Blaise Moussa, Camwater’s General Manager, in a statement.

In recent years, Camwater has increased collaboration with national organizations to improve service quality and infrastructure. The company has established partnerships with entities including Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), the Special Fund for Equipment and Inter-communal Intervention (Feicom), the University of Douala, and the United Councils and Cities of Cameroon (CVUC), among others.

Source: Sbbc

Garoua: Issa Hayatou goes home to rest

17, August 2024

Garoua: Issa Hayatou goes home to rest 0

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called Issa Hayatou “an ambassador for football in the world” at the late FIFA President ad interim’s funeral in Garoua, Cameroon.

Mr Hayatou was acting FIFA President for just over four months between October 2015 and Mr Infantino’s election in February 2016.

He passed away in Paris, France, on 8 August, a day before his 78th birthday, and his remains were then repatriated to his home town in Cameroon for burial.

“He knew how to take the helm of FIFA in 2015, when our boat was sailing in rough seas, and he steered us back to calm waters, just before I was elected President, in 2016. He was a great figure, a great gentleman, a great friend,” said Mr Infantino at the ceremony.

“We always say that football unites people, regardless of their origin. Issa Hayatou, with his remarkable and world-acclaimed work, knew how to contribute to this unity. He surely was an ambassador for Cameroon and an ambassador for football in the world. He was an ambassador of great values such as family and unity, and this is what brings all of us together here today.”

Among the other mourners joining Mr Hayatou’s family and friends were FIFA Vice President and Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe, members of the FIFA administration including FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, Cameroonian Football Association (FECAFOOT) President Samuel Eto’o and a number of FIFA Member Association Presidents and CAF officials.

“Everyone obviously has their own memories, every one of us here has their own memories of Issa Hayatou, but I’m sure that all of us today, on this day of sadness, but of unity, too, hold a memory of his smile. A smile he kept on his face on any occasion,” said Mr Infantino, who recounted his first meeting with the then-CAF President when he had attended – “as a football fan” – the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1998.

“I’m standing here today as FIFA President, as a member of this family, to tell you all the sadness we have and to give you some strength. We want to tell you that we are here with you, with all our love. Today is a day of mourning for the football world, but it’s also a day when all our memories should unite to remember Issa Hayatou, a major figure of Cameroonian football, African football and global football.”

A former FECAFOOT President, Mr Hayatou served as CAF President for 29 years from 1988 to 2017. He was a FIFA Council member from 1990 to 2017 and a FIFA Vice President. He was also an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member from 2001 to 2016, after which he became an IOC Honorary Member.

Source: Inside Fifa.com

Biya regime facing severe fiscal pressures amidst Amba crisis and conflict

9, August 2024

Biya regime facing severe fiscal pressures amidst Amba crisis and conflict 0

Cameroon, the second-largest economy in Central Africa, is under pressure to enhance its economic performance, according to a recent World Bank report. Despite successfully reducing its fiscal deficit to 1.1% of GDP in 2022, primarily through cuts in public investment, the country now faces critical challenges in tax collection and public spending.

Key Points:

Fiscal Adjustments: Cameroon achieved a notable reduction in its fiscal deficit over six years but did so by slashing public investment. This approach has led to low public expenditure levels, impacting the quality of public services and infrastructure development.

Revenue and Spending Concerns: The World Bank emphasizes the need for a comprehensive medium-term revenue strategy to boost tax collection efficiency and address spending inefficiencies. Social sectors, particularly health and education, have suffered due to under-investment.

Taxation Issues: Direct taxes and international trade levies have underperformed, leaving the country overly reliant on value-added tax.

Urgent Financing: Amid high US interest rates making dollar borrowing costly, Cameroon recently issued $550 million in dollar bonds, indicating pressing financial needs.

The report underscores the necessity for targeted spending and better fiscal management to spur economic growth in Cameroon.

Source: worldbank.org

Cameroon Bribery Scandal: UK billionaire charged with corruption over role

2, August 2024

Cameroon Bribery Scandal: UK billionaire charged with corruption over role 0

Alex Beard, the billionaire former head of oil at Glencore Plc, was charged with corruption by the UK’s top fraud agency, alongside four other ex-employees from the commodities trader.

The UK’s Serious Fraud Office accused Beard of conspiring to make corrupt payments to benefit Glencore’s oil operations in West Africa. The agency alleges he conspired to make the payments to government officials and employees of state owned oil firms in Nigeria between 2010 and 2014, and Cameroon between 2007 and 2014.

Beard, 56, who was one of Glencore’s top executives for more than a decade before his departure in 2019, is the highest profile individual to be charged in a sweeping series of investigations into corruption and market manipulation at the company – and one of the most senior commodity traders ever to be charged with wrongdoing.

Also facing criminal prosecution is Andy Gibson, 64, Glencore’s ex-head of oil operations and for years Beard’s second in command. The SFO charged him with four conspiracies of making corrupt payments in Nigeria and Cameroon between 2007 and 2014, and Ivory Coast between 2007 and 2010. He was also alleged to have conspired to falsify invoices between 2007 and 2011.

Additionally, Paul Hopkirk, Ramon Labiaga and Martin Wakefield, former Glencore employees involved in trading West African oil, stand accused of conspiring to make corrupt payments to government officials and employees at state owned oil companies in Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

Wakefield is separately charged with one conspiracy to falsify documents between 2007 and 2011.

All the men are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Sept. 10. Lawyers for Beard and Gibson declined to comment. Lawyers for the other men didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

“Today’s action is an important step toward exposing overseas corruption and holding those who are responsible to account,” Nick Ephgrave, director of the Serious Fraud Office, said Thursday.

Glencore in 2022 pleaded guilty to corruption and market manipulation cases in the US and UK, admitting that it had paid bribes to win business in eight countries from Brazil to South Sudan and paying about $1.5 billion to resolve the investigations against it.

“Glencore cooperated with the SFO in its investigation into this past conduct and resolved its SFO investigation in 2022,” a Glencore spokesperson said noting the charges. “We are committed to acting ethically and responsibly across all aspects of our business and have taken significant action towards building a best-in-class Ethics and Compliance Programme.”

Until his departure from Glencore in 2019, Beard was part of the inner circle of former chief executive Ivan Glasenberg as one of a dozen department heads who made up Glencore’s management board. After working at BP Plc, he joined in 1995, becoming head of oil in 2007 and was known for his acumen trading Russian oil. When the company listed in London in 2011 he was revealed to be one of its largest shareholders with a stake worth $2.8 billion.

After leaving Glencore he started an investment company, Adaptogen Capital, to invest in large-scale batteries connected to the UK grid. He has been a major donor to Christ Church College at Oxford University and a trustee of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London. His net worth was estimated at £1.2 billion in the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

Beard’s role at Adaptogen Capital ended on July 12, according to a filing at Companies House.

“Alex Beard is no longer a director of the company having resigned in July 2024,” a spokesperson for Adaptogen said on Thursday. “It remains business as usual at Adaptogen.”

Source: BNNBloomberg

Bishop Bibi urges Catholic Women in Cameroon to live Christian Faith “in all aspects”

27, July 2024

Bishop Bibi urges Catholic Women in Cameroon to live Christian Faith “in all aspects” 0

Bishop Michael Miabesue Bibi of Cameroon’s Catholic Diocese of Buea has called upon members of the Catholic Women Association (CWA) in the Central African nation to be consistent in practising their Christian faith, allowing it to influence all aspects of their lives.

In his homily during the opening Mass of the 10th CWA National Congress, Bishop Bibi urged the Catholic women to “work diligently to foster the mission and piety of CWA.”

“We are called to live out our faith in all aspects. Our faith should be seen in all the deliberations we carry out in this congress,” he said during the Friday, July 26 Eucharistic celebration at Regina Pacis Small Soppo Cathedral of Buea Diocese.

He lauded CWA members in Cameroon for being “a new model of faith for our contemporary world” and appealed, “You must persevere in your faith. You must make sure that you do not allow the distractions of this world to come between you and your faith.”

Despite the difficulties and challenges in society, Bishop Bibi noted, CWA members need to “always remain consistent, trusting that God, our Heavenly Father, will continue to accompany you in this journey that you have undertaken.”

Reflecting on the 60th Anniversary of the existence of CWA in Cameroon, the Local Ordinary of Buea Diocese said, “It is the gift of faith that has sustained the Catholic Women Association in its mission since 1964.”

The Cameroonian Catholic Bishop, who has been at the helm of Buea Diocese since December 2019, first as Apostolic Administrator, and since February 2021 as the Local Ordinary, thanked God for the diverse gifts and blessings CWA members have received over the past six decades.

“The CWA as an apostolate has done a lot in strengthening the faith of Catholic women in our country and in the diaspora,” he said during his July 26 homily.

The July 24-28 congress at Bishop Rogan College in Cameroon’s Buea Diocese has been organized under the theme, “CWA Women: Artisans of Human Fraternity for World Peace in Church that Goes Forth.”

Participants in the national event that has brought together over 500 Catholic women from across Cameroon are to elect new leaders for the association.

In his July 26 homily, Bishop Bibi underscored the importance of electing servant leaders, saying, “This Congress is an opportunity to craft out methods of providing good leadership for the entire Catholic Women Association.”

“Let us take our time to prayerfully choose leaders who act after the heart of God and foster the growth and holiness of the CWA wherever they are found,” the Catholic Church leader, who started his Episcopal Ministry in March 2017 as Auxiliary Bishop of Cameroon’s Bamenda Catholic Archdiocese said.

He implored, “May the Blessed Virgin Mary, our mother and model of faith help us. May she protect us so that the deliberation of this Congress may benefit families and society at large.”

Source: aciafrica

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Biya authorizes CFA616 Billion in borrowing for 2024 budget

24, July 2024

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Biya authorizes CFA616 Billion in borrowing for 2024 budget 0

President Paul Biya signed a decree authorizing Finance Minister Louis Paul Motazé to secure a total of CFA616 billion in loans for the state. This amount is allocated for “financing development projects included in Cameroon’s 2024 finance law and settling outstanding payments (invoices pending with the Treasury),” according to the presidential decree. Of this total, CFA280 billion is to be raised domestically, while CFA336 billion will be sourced from international markets.

The decree aligns with an earlier ordinance signed by President Biya on June 20, 2024, and approved by Parliament. This ordinance amends certain provisions of the 2024 finance law, which was passed by Parliament in November 2023. The revised finance law increases the state budget by CFA533 billion (+8%), raising it from CFA6,679.5 billion to CFA7,212.5 billion.

A close examination of the budget adjustment reveals that the additional CFA533 billion will primarily be financed through borrowing. The government plans to increase its “loans and other financing” by CFA488 billion, representing 91.5% of the budget increase. Specifically, the allocation for loans and other financing will rise from CFA1,489.4 billion in the initial finance law to CFA1,977.4 billion in the revised budget, with a significant portion coming from international debt.

Debt Breakdown

The 2024 budget adjustment includes a reduction of CFA95 billion in loans from domestic public securities. In response, the government has decided to secure additional “program loans” amounting to CFA240 billion from multilateral lenders, and “initial loans from external private entities” that could reach up to CFA467 billion. Additionally, the government has cut its initial borrowing targets from Paris Club members, non-Paris Club governments, and other private external entities by CFA123 billion.

Overall, the CFA616 billion in authorized borrowing combines the CFA533 billion increase from the revised finance law and the remaining loans needed under the initial budget. This is expected to raise Cameroon’s debt levels throughout 2024.

According to the Autonomous Amortization Fund (CAA), which manages public debt in Cameroon, the country’s public debt reached CFA13,070 billion as of June 2024, up 4.9% year-over-year. Of this total, 93.5% is direct central government debt (CFA12,219 billion, or 40.4% of GDP, well below the 70% threshold set by the Cemac region), while 6.4% is held by public enterprises and institutions, and 0.1% by decentralized territorial authorities.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Southern Cameroons Crisis: 4 Amba fighters killed in Alabukam

20, July 2024

Southern Cameroons Crisis: 4 Amba fighters killed in Alabukam 0

At least four Ambazonia fighters have been killed in a Yaoundé-backed military offensive in the Northwest region, the army said on Saturday.

The raid took place Friday in Alabukam, a neighborhood in Bamenda, the regional capital.

Among those killed was deputy commander of the Ambazonia Restoration Force in the locality the Francophone dominated military said in a statement.

Bamenda has witnessed renewed violence since early July, after Southern Cameroons Self Defense Forces ordered that all taxis in the city be painted in blue and white, the colors of the flag of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

Armed English speaking fighters began clashing with the Francophone dominated government forces in the South West and North West in 2017.

By Fon Lawrence with files

Ekpe and Manyu Traditional Rulers Association: Time to Stop the Madness!!

19, July 2024

Ekpe and Manyu Traditional Rulers Association: Time to Stop the Madness!! 0

Cultural institutions define people by encompassing their language, shared habits, music and arts. In Manyu, Cameroon, over the last centuries, the institution of Ekpe has remained resolute despite uncountable challenges. With solid norms and practises, this institution has become the envy of many worldwide. Mgbe as it is commonly referred to have heavily influenced community peace and justice within Manyu. However, on the 16th of April 2024, the foundation of Mgbe the most important pillar of the Manyu nation was tested. Since that day, tension has existed between the Manyu Traditional Rulers Association (MATRA) and the Manyu Mgbe Supreme Council, the body that runs Ekpe activities in Manyu.

Frustrated by the lack of success against Mgbe in this public row, MATRA, currently led by Chief Orock John Mbi of Okoyong has reportedly done the unthinkable by asking the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Manyu to intervene. Understanding the traditional institutions of the Manyu State, the cultural bodies existing within Manyu including their modus operandi is of grave importance. Mgbe is a powerful Manyu institution, a private members club, a spiritual brotherhood and also the judiciary arm of the Manyu nation.

The idea that members of MATRA intend to take this paramount Manyu institution to an “outsider” for guidance or retribution is sacrilegious and unpardonable. This sort of tactless and reckless adventure will never be tolerated in the grass field kingdoms. Therefore, the silent members of MATRA are guilty by association and shall inevitably face titanic consequences in their respective communities and villages.

Our ancestors embarked on resistance in the nineteenth and twentieth century to rid themselves of foreign state power so we can be the commanders of our cultural establishments. Successive political leaders in the then German Kamerun and later on United Republic of Cameroon understood their limits, and demonstrated enormous veneration, and even awe when dealing with Mgbe and other Manyu traditional institutions.

The SDO and other state actors play key roles in governing and the enormity of the daily challenges they face cannot be underestimated. However, passing judgment or advising on Manyu traditional matters is NOT for them. MATRA and the leaders of the Mgbe Manyu Supreme Council should demonstrate wisdom and thoughtfulness by convening an extraordinary meeting without delay. The SDO must be informed thereafter that both parties have resolved their differences as demanded by the customs and traditions of the Manyu people.

Mgbe and Manyu Chiefs represent critical pieces of our Manyu identity and nation. However, the foundations of that nation are trembling. Many at home and in the diaspora are watching this current misfortune closely and regrettably, and we Ekpe members in the diaspora, will not relent in our efforts to let the main actors in this acrimony see sense.

A lethal cocktail of arrogance and pride is destroying the reputation of the Manyu traditional rulers and their authority is weakening day-by-day. This negative trend must be discontinued immediately.

On the 7th of May 2024, these writers and custodians of Manyu culture sounded a note of caution to MATRA asking them to exercise restraint and not overstep their assigned authority. They did not listen! Today, Manyu is telling MATRA and the leaders of the Manyu Mgbe Supreme Council loudly and clearly that their impending public washing of dirty linens is unwise and tantamount to cultural vandalism. A volcano will visit them if 550 years of cultural red lines are crossed.

By Sessekou Isong Asu, and Nfor Mgbe Barrister John Ntuiabane, Mgbe UK

Biya seeks to extend mandate of legislature: Can democracy survive 2025 in Cameroon?

7, July 2024

Biya seeks to extend mandate of legislature: Can democracy survive 2025 in Cameroon? 0

Cameroon will be holding elections in 2025 — a tribute, it could be argued, to the power of an idea, democracy, and to the spread of political freedom.

Political commentators in the nation’s capital Yaoundé will see 2025 as a milestone in democracy’s long journey from the rowdy town square debates of classical Athens, through the thinking of 18th-century philosophers and beyond to an ever more just and equitable world. 

But that seems unlikely in Cameroon-a nation run by a regime that has successfully weakened all independent institutions including the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

There is a spirit pushing Yaoundé to hold elections in 2025 but it is not a democratic one.

The CPDM government on Saturday submitted to parliament a draft bill aimed at extending the mandate for the country’s lawmakers for a year. This is not the first time Biya and his acolytes are using this vicious tactics. But Saturday’s draft bill is an indication that democracy in Cameroon is in recession.

The bill, which concerns lawmakers of the National Assembly or the so-called lower house of the parliament, seeks to extend the term of office to March 30, 2026 from March 10, 2025.

The Etoudi statement in a typical CPDM crime syndicate style noted that the extension seeks “to lighten the electoral calendar,” which includes presidential, parliamentary, municipal and regional council elections in Cameroon next year.

“In this regard, and apart from the election of regional councilors, the other elections, which involve direct voting, require the deployment of substantial human, material and financial resources. Accordingly, it is judicious to spread the above-mentioned elections over the years 2025 and 2026, so as to ensure better organization,” The Biya regime statement added.

With a creeping disillusionment among younger people in Cameroon about the very point of elections, it is completely impossible for the fragmented opposition to defeat President Biya’s rigour and moralization party, the CPDM which has spent years undermining the rule of law and turning the state broadcaster CRTV into a government mouthpiece.

It is now abundantly clear that democracy in Cameroon is in crisis. President Biya’s tricks of always telling the world that state institutions and spirit needed time to develop no longer make sense to any Cameroonian citizen. 

Biya’s shameful and disgraceful end will play out in 2025. For 42 years as head of state, he has jailed opponents and run a charade of an election culminating in 90-per cent majorities or higher. To be accurate, he simply allows the opposition to compete — but not to win.

But it is his re-election in 2025 that will finally disintegrate the Republic of Cameroon. The world in 2025 will no longer turn a blind eye to the excesses of Biya and his gang.

Biya is frail and there is a huge vacuum. The Unity Palace is now filled with bad actors that steal, steal, steal and govern as bad as they want.

Biya has weakened all anti-corruption bodies in the country and the recent emergence of his elder son Franck Biya as a frontrunner to succeed him, suggests that he has a dynasty in mind.

Southern Cameroonians no longer have faith in the La Republique system. The new alarming, growing Anglophone population is becoming indifferent because they don’t see the Francophone political system working for them.

Can democracy survive 2025 in Cameroon?

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

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