The expected return of Cameroon’s president Paul Biya to Yaoundé has not occurred. Financial markets are reacting to growing concerns about his health, while several key government figures have been called to Geneva.

What happened on 13 October? In Yaoundé, Cameroon, while supporters of the Rassemblement Démocratique du Peuple Camerounais (RDPC, the ruling party) and members of youth organisations had been discreetly mobilised to welcome President Paul Biya at the airport, the arrangements were scrapped a few hours later, with the same discretion. And with good reason: the Cameroonian president did not return to the country and is still in Europe. But where?

Imaginary homecoming

No announcement has been made about Biya’s aborted return or the reasons. But this latest development has heightened doubts about the president’s condition, after September and October saw him cancel his participation in the United Nations General Assembly, the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) summit and the meeting on sustainable development in Hamburg, Germany.

Faced with rumours of the president’s death spread by a television channel close to the Ambazonian separatists and widely reported on social networks, the Cameroonian presidency and government were forced to make a public statement on 8 October, explaining that the head of state was continuing his stay in Switzerland, was in perfect health and would return to Cameroon “in the very near future”. That was a week ago.

“The head of state had never planned to return this Sunday [13 October],” said a source close to the presidency, who confirmed that no members of the presidential guard or the presidential security directorate responsible for accompanying the head of state on his travels had been mobilised for this trip. According to our sources, airport authorities were not alerted to any movement of CM-001, the code reserved for President Biya.

Budgetary emergencies

As a result, public suspicions have returned with a vengeance. According to one of the most persistent rumours, Biya has been hospitalised for at least two weeks in an ultra-secure VIP wing of the Percy military hospital in Clamart, near Paris. Cameroon’s ambassador to France, André Magnus Ekoumou, denied this to Jeune Afrique. “Paul Biya has never been hospitalised in Paris or anywhere else. He is in Geneva and in good health,” he said.

Then the influential territorial administration minister Paul Atanga Nji provoked more tension by declaring a ban on debates about the president’s condition in the Cameroonian media. In the same vein, land and property minister Henri Eyebe Ayissi announced that he would organise a day of prayer for Biya at Yaoundé’s Palais des Sports on 17 October. This was subsequently cancelled on the orders of Biya’s private office, led by Samuel Mvondo Ayolo.

These initiatives have annoyed some members of the presidential entourage, since they contribute to the climate of mistrust surrounding their boss. On 13 October, Finance Minister Louis-Paul Motaze, who is also expected in Brussels in the next few days, and Senate Vice-President Aboubakary Abdoulaye were summoned to Geneva. On 14 October, they were joined by Senate President Marcel Niat Njifenji, who had just been discharged from the American Hospital in Paris, accompanied by a delegation of three officials from the upper house.

According to our sources, these summonses correspond to a working meeting officially organised to draw up the budget, which was due to be signed by the president in early August. To make up for the delay, it must be finalised before the plenary session of the National Assembly and Senate, scheduled for November. For his part, Njifenji will have to work with his Senate colleagues from Geneva to manage some of the tensions that are threatening the upper house with implosion.

The uncertainty surrounding the drafting of the state budget is also worrying international agencies. Uncertainty about Biya’s health is affecting Cameroon’s ability to borrow as well as increasing the perceived risk of political instability.

With foreign debt repayments imminent and economic operators awaiting clarification, it looks as though the head of state preferred organising the summit meeting in Switzerland over not holding it at all. To date, Biya has no concrete plans to return to Yaoundé.

Culled from The Africa Report

It appears there is no limit to the odium Cameroonians will endure in the hands of their government, because just when the regime seems to have hit rock bottom in governance capacity, it somehow manages to find a further depth in ignominy. Cameroonians have been agonizing over the health and whereabouts of President Paul Biya, the 91-year-old nonagenarian, tottering on the borders of senile decay, who has not been seen publicly since attending the Sino-Africa forum in Beijing on September 8. He was missing at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, last month, despite elaborate preparations, including a team of reporters from state-owned CRTV and Cameroon Tribune dispatched to New York. Biya also cancelled an appearance at the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) summit this October, stoking speculations about his health. Following awkward denials of rumors that Biya had died either in a Paris hospital or in Geneva, by civil cabinet director, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, and Communications Minister and Government spokesman, René Sadi; Territorial Administration Minister, Paul Atanga Nji, in a streak of authoritarian madness, announced that Biya’s health was a national security issue and “any debate in the media about the president’s condition is therefore strictly prohibited.”

Atanga Nji has instructed regional governors to set up units to monitor broadcasts on private media channels and social media platforms, warning that offenders will be prosecuted. That’s bunkum and utterly ridiculous. The right to free speech is protected by the constitution, so Cameroonians have the right to question the health and whereabouts of their president. Atanga Nji’s illegal edict, ornamented with harmful grandiloquence amounts to high-level official rascality and a reckless and imprudent display of statecraft. It’s the kind of arrant nonsense that is emblematic of a broader problem when you put an empty suit with no education or requisite temperament for governance in a position of authority, far above his intellectual capacity.

The unequivocal, dispiriting truth is that Atanga Nji has proved himself temperamentally unfit for high public office. He’s dangerous in word, deed and action. This is not simply an opinion of a critic; it is a judgment based on his character. Atanga Nji has no moral compass; he lies blatantly and maliciously embraces petty gossips with a juvenile bully’s instinct to target critics. He is animated by a thirst for power: to use the levers of government to advance his parochial interests, satisfy his most insidious impulses and exact retribution against those he thinks are opposed to Biya and his Beti benefactors from whom he craves validation and vindication. He delights in poisoning the public discourse with vile and incendiary language. His sycophancy is matched by his ignorance as he lacks the intellectual capacity to understand the difference between the presidency as an institution, and the person occupying the office (president), who incarnates national sovereignty as head of state. The fact is the presidency, embodies state authority, regardless of who occupies the office at any given time. Atanga Nji must be told in whatever language he understands that the office is bigger than the person, hence, Biya’s health status cannot be a matter of national security! Such a convoluted view promotes dangerous personality cults, and an utter lack of respect for the constitution, the rule of law and the Cameroonian people.

The degree of travesty to which Atanga Nji has descended to reveal his ignorance and fundamental misunderstanding of how modern societies operate is indeed pathetic! This pig-headed ban is not just misguided; it is buffoonery of the highest order. The stupidity is simply mind-boggling and inexcusable and betrays a lack of political sophistication from a minister renowned for his hubris, arrogance and public gaffes. It is senseless, moronic, pedestrian and devoid of any perfunctory exaggeration. Banning discussions on Biya’s health does not make the issue disappear; it amplifies it. But even more absurd is the sheer impracticality of the ban’s implementation. In the age of the internet, where information flows freely across borders, it is naïve and laughable for Atanga Nji to think he can ban discussions about Biya’s health with a press release. The president’s health is not a national security issue; it is a question of public interest and a matter of international significance. Cameroonians will continue to talk about Biya’s health, online and offline, in hushed tones or in loud protests, and there is nothing Atanga Nji can do about it. Censorship in today’s world is not just ineffective; it is counterproductive, and attempts to stifle discussions will lead to a backlash against the regime, and reinforce Cameroon’s international image as a banana republic with highly dysfunctional institutions where bizarre things can happen.

Besides, the illegal and unconstitutional ban reflects a dangerous disregard for the core principles of free speech. In any functioning democracy, the people have a right to scrutinize their leaders, especially when their health could impact national decision-making. In fact, the demand for health disclosure is serious enough that in the USA, presidential candidates are obliged to disclose their health reports before they can even run for office. When governments clamp down on free speech, they inadvertently confirm suspicions. In Cameroon where a culture of secrecy already shrouds political leadership, this ban adds fuel to the fire, making the government seem more interested in preserving power than in fostering an informed, engaged citizenry. It is the behavior of a regime terrified of transparency, not one confident in governance. By this act of civic callousness, Atanga Nji is essentially telling Cameroonians that their opinions are inconsequential, thus undermining the very notion of government of the people, for the people and by the people. Cameroonians deserve to know if their president is still capable of leading, especially when it is visibly obvious to anyone not blinded by hypocrisy that Biya is showing more wear and tear mostly in the deterioration in his husky voice, the wrinkles on his face; the advancing baldness, the frailty and declining swagger of his gait (Biya can barely walk), the diapers and alleged uncontrollable flatulence and protracted anal blasts during public and private events.

Regrettably, the quest for credible information about Biya’s health is taboo as no one has officially confirmed what’s ailing the President beyond the subterfuge amongst the President’s men that all is fine. The veteran Le Messager journalist, Pius Njawe (RIP) was jailed simply for insinuating that Biya might have suffered a malaise during the 1997 Cameroon cup finals. These speculations intensified after Biya; for the first time in 26 years as president skipped the 2008 challenge cup finals which was presided at by then Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni. Presently, it hardly matters if the rumors about Biya’s health are true or not; official silence implies there’s no smoke without fire. The latest rumors about Biya’s health underscore growing public concerns about his ability to govern effectively, given his age and prolonged absences from the country. But the pedestrian and amateurish manner in which speculations about the president’s health and whereabouts was handled is a textbook failure of crisis management and damage control that is neither edifying to the country, nor to Biya’s image.

At age 91, Biya has been in power for 42 years and counting, making him one of the world’s oldest and longest-serving leaders. For any nation, especially one facing numerous political, economic, and security challenges, the health of the president is a matter of public interest. The fact that Biya spends significant periods outside Cameroon for health reasons only vindicates the public’s right to know whether he is still fit to lead. The president’s health is a matter of national interest because it directly affects his ability to lead and make crucial decisions impacting millions. The president’s capacity to fulfill his duties, especially in times of crisis, is vital for national stability and governance. Presidents, like all people, are human; they can fall ill or as reluctant mortals, die unexpectedly. Hiding their health issues risks creating power vacuums, undermining public trust, and engendering power struggles and instability.

As Biya advances in age, and continues to abdicate his presidential responsibilities, concealing his health status can no longer be said to be in the public interest. The secrecy around Biya’s health, which for far too long, has been the currency in official circles has had its day. Cameroonians need to know whether or not their President is healthy enough to live up to the exalting responsibilities of his high office. Instead of gagging people, the government should embrace transparency, open communication, and accountability. Better communication over what the president Biya is suffering from, what the prognosis is and perhaps some comments from Biya himself would go a long way to ending all these speculations. Cameroonians deserve better, and it is time their voices were heard.

Ekinneh Agbaw-Ebai is a public intellectual and graduate from Harvard University John F Kennedy and Harvard Business School. He writes from Boston, USA. Talk back at ekinneh@yahoo.com

The world has been focusing on Cameroon recently following news that Paul Biya, Cameroon’s second president, had died in Europe. The news, which was first broadcast on ABS, an American-based media outlet, sent shivers down the spines of many Cameroonians, with many asking questions about the country’s future. Mr. Biya has been in office for over four decades and during this time in power, people across the globe see him as a symbol of stability, though over the last seven years, Cameroon has been dealing with an insurgency in the country’s two English-speaking regions. News about his death caused Cameroon dollar bonds to take a nosedive, causing many investors to put off their investment plans in Cameroon. To again a better understanding of the situation in Cameroon, the Cameroon Concord News Group editor-in-chief, Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai, had to turn to Dr. Joachim Arrey of the Global Think Tank for Africa, an experienced and erudite political analyst, for an insightful analysis and he had the following to say.

Cameroon Concord News: Over the last few days, Cameroon has been in the news for all the wrong reasons following the announcement of the death of the country’s president. Many Cameroonians are concerned and the country’s dollar bonds have taking a nosedive, making it hard for Cameroon to borrow from global capital markets. What do you make of this situation?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: Thank you for inviting me to share my perspective on the unfortunate news which has been spreading online. Allow me to point out that it is wrong for anybody to announce the death of a man who is still living. Regardless of our political differences, it is immoral and unethical for anybody to spread such bad news. I have heard that many people around the world celebrated when they heard the news. Permit me to add that none of us has the power to decide when another person has to die. Death is not something we should even wish on our worst enemy. That said, I would like to caution that all humans are mortal including Mr. Biya who is almost 92 years old. When we get to such an age, we should celebrate but at the same time, it is only logical that we do the right things. At Mr. Biya’s age, he should be thinking of passing on the torch to the next generation of politicians. He has done his best, though many hold that his best is not good enough. Succession planning should be the focus of all Cameroonian political institutions. Nobody is immortal, including Mr. Biya and if he loves his country he should be thinking about quitting the political arena for a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Biya has been the face of that country for a long time and his health and even death should be a call for concern for the entire country. When a public figure like him is not seen in public or is suspected of having health issues, it becomes a subject of discussion because much rides on his health or life. The unfortunate news about his death has affected the country’s economy and the country’s dollar bonds have taken a hit. Cameroon is now a high risk environment and many investors who are looking for where to invest their money will now walk away from Cameroon. Our country’s economy is already suffering and if it has to deal with other external shocks then we are in for tough times.

I would also like to point out that Cameroonians should stop blaming all the issues in Cameroon on Mr. Biya. Of course, he is the president and should be responsible for many things which have gone wrong, but it takes more than one person to destroy an entire country. As individuals, we must understand that there is what we call personal responsibility. If every Cameroonian decides to do the right thing regardless of the pain which comes with that, our country will not be falling apart as it is doing now. We have to change our atomic habits if we must see significant changes in our country. We must be the change we desire. As individuals, we have a lot to do if Cameroon must rise from its ashes like the proverbial phoenix. It is not Mr. Biya’s fault that we all urinate on our streets. It is not Mr. Biya’s fault that we all spend more time in bars instead of sitting at home with our children. It is not Mr. Biya’s fault that we cannot engage in community labour to make our neighborhoods clean. We need to address the little things which we have control over to reduce the decay that has become a millstone around our necks.

Cameroon Concord News: You talk about the next generation of politicians, who do you think will be part of the next generation of politicians when many young Cameroonians are pouring out of the country?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: For more than four decades, we have seen the same faces in our political landscape and many of those people are old and should yield the floor to young politicians who can drive the country into a new era. If Cameroonians in their immense majority think that Mr. Biya has overstayed his welcome in our political space, then most of those who are also there should be ready to leave. The president of the country’s senate is not a young person and most of his vice presidents clearly belong to the past. These people need to be replaced if Cameroon has to be part of the progressive political world. The new generation of politicians I am talking about should comprise courageous people who hold that Cameroon deserves better and they are determined to make their modest contribution to the building of a better Cameroon. In this effort, the Diaspora has a significant role to play. I hold that people who are nearing retirement in Western countries can take off some time to run as members of parliament, mayors or senators in Cameroon to bring in fresh ideas into the system. It does not only suffice to identify the problems. The Diaspora must bring its experience and knowledge to bear. At 60, there is no reason to be scared of returning home. If Cameroon is broken as we all say, then we all must roll up our sleeves to shore up any development efforts in our country. We have to do it. Nobody will do it for us. If the citizens of the countries in which many of us send our children to had escaped from their countries, we would not have had a place to send our children. We must seek to rebuild Cameroon. The onus is on all of us. Like many Cameroonians, I have lived out for almost three decades and I think I can bring something to the table in Cameroon. I want to help and I think the best place to start is at the grassroots.

Cameroon Concord News: Are you saying you will soon be part of the country’s political landscape?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: That is on the table. I have extensive political experience and I have a deep understanding of some of those issues which are hurting our people. Like I have always said, I have come to the ripe age where I can make some sacrifices for my country. Like many Cameroonians I have talked to, I hold that if meaningful change has to take place in Cameroon, young people with innovative ideas must be part of the political landscape. I am staring down the barrel of retirement and I have nothing to lose if I serve my country for a few years. I strongly believe that I can influence things at the grassroots level and I am willing to even settle in my native Ossing just to make a difference. Our people need to see a different model and I am willing to deliver that model to them after having lived in many parts of the world. 

Cameroon Concord News: Don’t you think running as a senator or an MP will be the right place for you to start?

 Dr. Joachim Arrey: Like I have said, everything is still on the table. If my people trust me, they will place me where they think I should be. I have a good relationship with the people of Manyu and I have always been there for them. I will never abandon them regardless of the situation. I will continue to send many kids to school, grant scholarships to those who want to further their studies and support development efforts in the Division. I have already endeared myself to my people. For over 25 years, I have placed the people of Manyu at the centre of my actions and I think if they give me the opportunity, I will like to do more for the Division. Manyu needs erudite, courageous and development-oriented politicians. They need politicians who will point them in the right direction. I want to point the people of Manyu in the right direction. I have learned and I am willing to learn from those who have been in that landscape before me. Life is a journey of learning and I have undertaken that journey. Manyu needs to change. I have a massive dream for my people. It hurts when I see them crying. There is a better way of doing things and I am prepared to take them down that beautiful route. There is no reason for any Cameroonian to die in the desert or on the high seas. We need to breathe faith in our youths. We need to orientate them so that they can see the opportunities in their natural environment. We can build their capacities at home and let them operate at the international level. Currently, I am moulding some Manyu youths and directing them on how to get jobs at the international level. I would like to extend that program to all sons and daughters of Manyu who have the right certificates. I want to open their eyes to the realities of their time. I want to teach them how to make money and keep it. I want to let them understand that no initiative succeeds without discipline. I do not need to be a senator or a Member of Parliament to help my people but if the opportunity is there and the people trust me, I will use it to deliver more scholarships and educate many youths.  There is still time to reflect on senatorial, mayoral and parliamentary elections. I can serve my people in any capacity and I have already triggered that process by organizing online clinics for those who have the right certificates.

Cameroon Concord News:  Any last word?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: Thank you Mr. Chairman for giving me the opportunity to share my perspective. I would like to urge Cameroonians to focus more on the post-Biya period instead of waiting for announcements of his death. None of us can determine when someone will die but because of his age and declining health, we should be working towards avoiding any confusion or bloodshed in our country when and if Mr. Biya quits power. We do not need to kill each other. We need to correct the errors of the past so that our country can be the envy of the continent. The country’s political opposition should be calling for that. Opposition political parties should be working together to ensure that the transition will be smooth whenever that time comes. Once more, thank you for your confidence in my ability to provide great political analysis.

Cameroon Concord News: Thank you, Dr. Joachim Arrey, for you time.

For some time now, news about Paul Biya’s death has been trending and most discussions among the country’s Diaspora focus on Paul Biya, a man who has ruled his country for almost 42 years.

To gain a better understanding of how Cameroonians think about their president, the Cameroon Concord News Group North American editor, Alain Agbor Ebot interviewed some members of the country’s Diaspora who did not spare any punches. Read below!

Elad (Canada): We have been hearing of Mr. Biya’s death for some time now and this is not helping us. I am a Cameroonian who has been living in Canada for over two decades and I have been thinking of returning to my native Southwest region where I intend to undertake some agricultural projects to create jobs in the country, but my return is impossible for as long as Biya is in power. Lots of things have fallen apart in the country due to the lack of proper infrastructure. The country has not got good road infrastructure.  The existing roads are not motorable. It is hard doing business in an environment which does not have good roads. There is also the issue of electricity. It is hard to operate in a country where there is no electricity. Cameroon needs an extreme makeover and this can only be engineered by a new regime.

Eyong (Germany): I have been in Germany for almost twenty-five years and I am sick and tired of living abroad. I want to return to my native Mamfe where I can have a more relaxed life. But returning now is almost impossible. Biya has to go for things to improve in Cameroon. His death will be a welcome relief as it may even cause separatist fighters to down their weapons. Biya is the main reason why many of us are living abroad. We love Cameroon but Biya and his gang have messed up the place. He should even resign. He hasn’t got the capacity to rule. I am happy that he hasn’t got much time to be on this planet. If he is not dead now, he will surely die in a few years’ time. He is a very wicked man. He wants to take down the country with him. This is indeed unfortunate!

Nfor Nji (America): That is the news we have been waiting for. Biya is better dead than alive. He is a massive liability to that country. I live in the United States, but I always think of returning to my native Cameroon. I am over 63 years and I would be happy to return to my native Bamenda to help with any reconstruction work. I am a professional engineer and I know a lot about post-war reconstruction. There are many other Cameroonians who hold that retirement will be better back home but how do we return there when nothing works. No good hospitals poorly regulated medical environment. Bad roads, lawlessness, insecurity and no electricity! Cameroon has been run aground by Mr. Biya who was expected to lead Cameroonians to the Promised Land. Biya is a sadist. He is happy inflicting pain on his people. Talk to many Cameroonians in the USA and you will find out that they are not happy living out of their country.

Folefack (America): When I heard of his death, I immediately went online to see if it was true. I even called family members back home who said they were waiting for confirmation. Biya is a millstone around our necks. He has killed Cameroon, triggering a wave of migration. Today, Cameroonians even migrate to places like the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and other countries which are even economically worse than Cameroon. Our youths want to leave the country. They hold that salvation will never come from the ballot boxes. Biya’s rigging machinery is well-oiled. Biya is a monster. He does not care about the country. He only wants to die in power. We need a new government comprising dedicated and honest people. Cameroon has a huge Diaspora and there should be a ministry dedicated to the Diaspora. We want to return but what are we returning to. I am tired of living abroad. I left Cameroon in 1985. At that time, things were already falling apart but Biya and his men who are snake oil salesmen kept on telling Cameroonians that they would steer the ship to safer shores. None of that has happened. Today, they are instead making the waters murkier. Corruption, embezzlement, intimidation, violence and chaos have made Cameroon unattractive to investors. It is indeed unfortunate. We need a new leader who will come up with a brand new vision. Our towns are unplanned. Our people are starving. The food grown in rural areas cannot be brought to urban areas due to poor roads. We are indeed in a quagmire. My mind bleeds for that country.

This is a Cameroon Concord News Group Production

The government in Yaoundé has said that rumours of all kinds circulating through conventional media and social networks about President Biya’s condition are pure fantasy.

Biya has not been seen in public since attending a China-Africa forum in Beijing in early September. His failure to appear as scheduled at a summit in France last weekend stoked speculation that the dictator was unwell.

Cameroonians love their president and they want to see him. Biya has won every election since 1982 because he is the only popular candidate in the Francophone dominated country.

The country is well-managed. Can we see Biya? Can he talk to Cameroonians now at a time when Cameroonians are frustrated?

Escalating cost of living is killing Cameroonians. Where is the president? He is the only man with a magic wand.

What does it cost to see Biya, the only man who can rule Cameroon? Cameroonians are worried. Without Biya, Cameroon will dissolve. Please let Cameroonians see him. Seeing is believing!

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Barely a month after journalist Amadou Vamoulké was sentenced to 20 years in prison, freelance reporter Kingsley Fumunyuy Njoka, who has been in pre-trial detention for over four years, was sentenced to ten years in prison for “secession and complicity with armed gangs”. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the conviction and outrageous charges, which testify to the ongoing persecution of journalists in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.

On 24 September, Cameroon suffered yet another attack on press freedom: freelance journalist Kingsley Fumunyuy Njoka was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment by the Yaoundé military court for “secession and complicity with armed gangs”. His crime? Authoring reports published in 2020 on the armed conflict raging in the northwest of the country.

Arrested without a warrant on 15 May 2020 at his home in Douala, the country’s economic capital, by three members of the Bonabéri research brigade, Njoka has been held in pre-trial detention at the Kondengui Central Prison in the Yaoundé region ever since. Before his arrest, Njoka regularly published reports critical of the authorities, notably working for the English-language media outlet Canal 2 English on the “Anglophone crisis”, an armed conflict in the English-speaking zones of western Cameroon between the military and separatists that has claimed 6,000 lives since 2017.

One of Njoka’s lawyers, Amungwa Tanyi Nicodemus, a former journalist who worked with Njoka, told RSF this was an “unfair trial, in violation of Cameroonian laws and international law,” stressing that “the time limit for detention without trial, 18 months maximum in this kind of case, was not respected at all.” Nicodemus appealed against this conviction on 27 September.

“This is the second prison sentence for a journalist in less than a month — following that of Amadou Vamoulké — and illustrates how Cameroon is sinking deeper into its crackdown against the right to inform, which has been underway for several years. The case of Kingsley Njoka, who was illegally held in pre-trial detention for four years before being arbitrarily sentenced, reveals the fate awaiting journalists reporting on the Anglophone crisis. His situation is not unlike that of his colleague Samuel Wazizi, who was also arrested for covering the crisis and died in custody in 2019. Kingsley Njoka’s wrongful conviction on baseless charges must be overturned and he must be released immediately.”

Barely a month earlier, the former Director General of the Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV), Amadou Vamoulké, was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for “embezzlement of public funds”, after 178 successive postponements of his trial. He had already been condemned to 12 years’ imprisonment for a similar case in December 2022, after more than seven years in pre-trial detention. He will therefore have to serve a total of 32 years in prison, which is inexcusable treatment of a journalist renowned for his professionalism and integrity.

Anglophone journalist Samuel Wazizi was also arrested and accused of complicity with secessionists in 2019. He died in custody under troubling conditions. According to the official statement, which was not given until ten months later, the journalist died due to illness a mere fifteen days after his arrest, despite being in perfect health – a story that is difficult to believe.

To date, four journalists have been unjustly convicted in Cameroon: Dimitri Wassouom Tchatchoua was sentenced to two years in prison in April 2023 for “publishing false information” electronically, and Thomas Awah Junior, correspondent in Cameroon’s northwest region for Afrik 2 Radio, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2018 for multiple charges, including “secession”, “insurrection”, “spreading false news”.

Cameroon ranks 130th out of 180 countries in the RSF’s 2024 World Press Freedom Index.

Culled from RSF

After decades of unnecessary fighting, it is becoming clear to people of Manyu Division that competition is the law of the jungle while complementarity is the law of civilization.  The Division’s women’s organization should be encouraged to embrace complementarity.

For a very long time, it has been challenging to have people of Manyu descent to work together because of bloated egos and the men who are supposed to take the lead on efforts at bringing much-needed development to the Division have been unable to get pass their unnecessary pride and differences.

Organization after Organization has been plagued by internecine fighting, causing misunderstanding and various factions to develop. And the various factions hardly deliver any good development results. Development is also about numbers. Those who have the numbers usually have a greater resource mobilization capacity.

After most fights, the various factions always seek to destroy each other, making it hard for any real reconciliation to take place.

It has always been a firm belief in Manyu that only the men can deliver great results, but this mistaken belief is gradually yielding to new ways of thinking as Manyu women organizations are springing up and the women are more determined than ever to bring about transformative change in the Division.

Today, there are three key women organizations which are seeking to engineer a paradigm shift, though the usual demons have already reared their ugly heads.

MOHWA, which has been in existence for a long time, is trying to find its feet after a very long bruising divorce. Its ranks have been diminished following the formation of EYUMEMA and NYENE MAWN.

Despite its reduced numbers, MOHWA remains a determined and necessary force which wants to bring its share of development projects to the Division.

Though there is still a lot of bitterness, which is normal when a divorce occurs, MOHWA members still hold that they can put smiles on the faces of some young Manyu girls who are struggling to find their way around the complicated and confusing maze known as life.

Internal fighting could be bad business for any organization but it could also be a huge stock-taking moment if leaders keep an open mind. MOHWA can still rise from its ashes if its leaders address those issues which have caused it to lose many of its members and this organization, which has stood the test of time, will continue to be a fixture on the Manyu development landscape if new ways replace old methods of doing business.

After a long bruising fight, EYUMEMA has seen the light of day. This brand new women’s group has ignited and rekindled hope in many Manyu people. Its sheer numbers will be a development asset if old demons do not take a seat at the table.

Many Manyu women across the world have been rushing to join the organization, hoping that the organization’s growing numbers will be transformed into huge development capital.

The United States has the largest EYUMEMA branch and there is every indication that things are headed in the right direction. Besides having delivered boreholes to the Division, EYUMEMA still has a huge and long pipeline of projects with the building of the preventive hospital’s technical and physical capacity being a top priority.

Manyu Division lost its key medical facility a few years ago in a fire whose origin has been controversial. Following this unfortunate situation, the preventive hospital in Mamfe has been serving as a full hospital though it lacks the proper technical capacity.

EYUMEMA sources have indicated that endowing the preventive hospital with some modern capacity is a key objective of the organization.

With branches in various towns in Cameroon, EYUMEMA is clearly stealing the show from MOHWA, with many women joining the organization without knowing why they are joining. Many seem to be under a spell. The noise from the USA seems to be music to their ears and they want to be part of an organization which is already displaying a deep sense of purpose.

The MOHWA fragmentation has not only ended with the creation of EYUMEMA. A bomb seemed to have fallen on MOHWA and that explosion also resulted in the creation of NYENE MAWN in Belgium.

Its creation might not have put smiles on many faces, especially for those who think that unity is strength. However, division is as old as man and instead of spending time and energy fighting old demons, NYENE MAWN members feel they could be counted among those organizations which are putting the Manyu girl child at the heart of their operations.

The more, the merrier goes the saying and NYENE MAWN is a welcome addition to the Manyu development landscape. The brand new organization is currently developing a sound management structure to ensure that demons of the past do not rear their ugly heads in this organization which sees complementarity as part of its development strategy.

Now that the fighting is over, it is time to take stock of things. Fighting is something any reasonable person should shun. But if it cannot be avoided, its lessons should at least be learned.

Today, Manyu needs lots of development projects and any organization which is capable of changing things for the people of that Division should be welcome. MOHWA, EYUMEMA and NYENE MAWN are all Manyu organizations and the people of Manyu should support their development aspirations and endeavors.

These organizations should understand that anger against a sister should never be the reason why there won’t ever be any collaboration.

The world is in constant movement and change is the only constant. As people of Manyu descent, we must embrace our organizations, support them in whatever they are doing, provided that they will bring much-needed development to our Division, and above all, encourage them to collaborate, where necessary.

The world is moving towards complementarity and competition clearly belongs to the past. Competition may only lead to a duplication of operations and such a situation might not be in the interest of our people.

Manyu looks forward to working with all its women’s groups and the men should donate generously to these groups as our women are pointing us in the right direction. Manyu is our land and we must develop it and make it a better place than we met it.

Dr. Joachim Arrey

This is a Cameroon Concord News Group Production.

Earlier this week, Norwegian police confirmed the arrest of a man on suspicion of incitement to commit crimes against humanity in Cameroon. AFP confirmed the man was Lucas Cho Ayaba, a Cameroonian separatist leader. His arrest could be a step toward justice for the victims of serious crimes in Cameroon’s embattled Anglophone regions.

Ayaba is the leader of the Ambazonia Governing Council, a major separatist group involved in the ongoing conflict in Cameroon’s Anglophone region. Ayaba is alleged to have coordinated its armed wing, the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF), remotely from Norway. The Ambazonia Governing Council’s aim is to carve out an independent state for Cameroon’s minority Anglophones. To accomplish this aim, the group punished anyone it perceived as collaborating with the government. It targeted civilians, kidnapped humanitarian workers, and killed perceived opponents while using intimidation and violence to keep children and their teachers out of school.

The prosecutor has indicated that the investigation is at an early phase, but given Ayaba is accused of inciting these crimes from Norway, prosecutors may have a number of grounds on which to pursue the case. It is the first time Norwegian judicial authorities have charged an individual for incitement to crimes against humanity.

As armed separatists like the ADF continue to clash with government forces, the welfare of civilians has become a secondary concern to the parties involved. Ayaba’s arrest is a warning to others implicated in grave crimes that the reign of impunity may be ending.

Separatists are not the only ones committing serious human rights abuses in the Anglophone regions. Serious crimes by government forces have been rife since the crisis began and security forces have also killed civilians, burned dozens of villages, and arbitrarily arrested and tortured hundreds of alleged armed separatists.

The Cameroonian government has the responsibility to ensure justice for the most serious crimes but has made scant progress in investigating, much less prosecuting, those responsible for grave offenses committed as part of the Anglophone crisis, particularly by Cameroon’s security forces.

While Ayaba’s arrest is to be welcomed, justice cannot be one-sided. All perpetrators of grave abuses, including government forces, should be held to account.

Culled from Human Rights Watch

The neglected eight-year war in Southern Cameroons and the urgent international action to end it

The ongoing mass killing of Southern Cameroonians by French Cameroon in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, marked by systematic violence, widespread displacement, and the persecution of innocent civilians, continues to be met with disturbing silence and inaction from the international community.

The conflict which has claimed some thirty-two thousand lives, torn apart communities and displaced about 5 million people is a glaring example of a human rights crisis that demands urgent attention.

Despite a compelling body of evidence of genocide, crimes against humanity, and other atrocities by Biya’s armed forces ranging from extrajudicial killings of men women and children, to the destruction of villages, schools and churches used as military camps, raping of women, girls and children, looting of property by the French Cameroon invading military, global powers and international institutions have failed to respond with the seriousness the situation deserves.

This neglect has allowed the situation to deteriorate, deepening the suffering of the Ambazonian people and emboldening Paul Biya and his invading military sponsored by France which is responsible for the violence and human rights abuses.

The recent trend of arresting, abducting, and incarcerating Ambazonians in the Diaspora is not only a violation of their fundamental rights but also a misguided approach that will not resolve the crisis. These actions, aimed at silencing voices advocating peace, justice, and self-determination, only exacerbate tensions.

We, the leaders of Ambazonia, categorically state that arresting Ambazonian leaders abroad will not bring about peace. The international community must recognize that repression and intimidation will not end this conflict.

I have followed the ongoing general assembly meeting of the United Nations hoping that some world leaders would site what is going on in Ambazonia as one of the ongoing conflicts in the world today, strangely, none of them mentioned it. Some world leaders would cite Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Palestine and Sudan, but will never think of the conflict in Southern Cameroons.

President Biden had a great speech but omitted the conflict in Ambazonia even though interestingly he called on the UN to go back to their main objective of promoting and fighting for peace around the world. He also emphasized the force of people’s power.

The President of the United  Nations General Assembly, Philemon Yang, a born Ambazonian, on the other hand did not make mention of the genocide going on in Ambazonia which he could not resolve through  peaceful dialogue when he was head of government in Yaoundé. He is calling for a two-state solution for the conflict between Israel and Palestine. What a paradox! Ask Yang to leave the current UN Session and spend a week in his village, Oku, in Ambazonia. He will tell you, over his dead body because he has the blood of innocent Ambazonians on his hands.

What Ambazonia and the people in the region need is not more violence or punitive measures but genuine and meaningful discussions which address fully and definitively the root causes of the French Cameroon-Ambazonia armed conflict. The key to resolving this conflict lies in dialogue. We call upon the international community, especially key stakeholders such as the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, and major world powers, to push for a peaceful resolution through negotiations without pre-conditions.

The International community should note that the genocide in Ambazonia will not be resolved by arresting, abducting or incarcerating Ambazonians.

The people of Ambazonia have the right to self-determination and to live free from fear and persecution. The international community’s continued indifference is unacceptable. It is time for the world to act decisively, to bring both sides to negotiate a peaceful and just resolution, and to address the root causes of the conflict. We shall not be intimidated; we are bold and resilient because self-determination is our basic human rights. We will continue to fight for our liberation. We will continue to fight for our inalienable right to govern ourselves in peace, justice and security.

We stand firm in our belief that the future of Ambazonia must be determined by the people of Ambazonia themselves and no one else, not by the unlawful detention of those seeking to voice the legitimate aspirations of the Ambazonian people.

 All evidence points to the fact that it is Biya and his civilian and military collaborators who ought to be in a dock. Ambazonia is a land founded on democracy and Justice.

The rule of law is the basic tenet in Ambazonia. Justice shall prevail!

The time for negotiations is now. Arrests and abductions will not stop our will and the will of a people who are determined to live in peace, dignity, and freedom. We urge the international community to stop turning a blind eye and take active steps towards peace in Ambazonia. I call on all comrades around the world to celebrate our Independence Day this year like never before. Let our voices be heard in Canada, Ground one, and Ground two and Ground zero, Rome, South Africa and the United States of America with the slogan, “No to the War in the Southern Cameroons and Yes to peaceful negotiations.”