Cameroon

21, January 2019

Cabinet Reshuffle: The Rise and Rise of Chantal Biya ⁰

Ever since the formation of the last two governments, (March 02, 2017 and January 4, 2019), Cameroonian public opinion including that of the independent press have attributed a vast majority of those appointed to first lady Chantal Biya.

Some senior editorialists have even observed that Chantal Biya named the Philemon Yang and now Dion Ngute governments which have several relatives of the Cameroonian lady holding key positions in the cabinet and heading lucrative state-owned companies. These Chantal Biya family members are very influential and feared by other members serving in the Biya regime.

Many in Yaounde, the nation’s capital have opined that Chantal Biya is slowly but surely positioning her kinsmen and women in leading position in the administration. Among them, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Minister Secretary-General of the presidency of the republic, the most powerful member of the Chantal Biya galaxy who was made minister of state on the 4^th of January.

There is also Pierre Ismael Bidoung Mkpatt Minister of Sports, (his wife Habissou Bidoung Mkpatt is in the circle of the closest to the first lady) and Oswald Baboke, (originally from the East and not Nanga-Eboko as the wife of the Cameroonian president). Oswald Baboke is the deputy director of the civil cabinet, responsible for the private affairs of the first lady. Baboke is currently one of Cameroon’s most influential leaders.

Cat calls greeted the Dion Ngute government and subsequently generated some controversies over the weekend when a large number of Cameroon government ministers appointed on the 4^th of January 2019 traveled to Nanga-Eboko, Chantal Biya’s hometown and stronghold of Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh for a meeting of thanks to the head of state for appointing them into the government.

By Sama Ernest with files

18, January 2019

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Biya unveils 2019 “road map” to new cabinet ⁰

Cameroonian President Paul Biya on Wednesday made his plan of action for 2019 known to Council of Ministers, according to the presidency.

The plan of action will focus fundamentally on security and development, according to the Prime Minister and the Head of Government Joseph Dion Ngute.

“We have to work on security, maintaining peace in the four corners of the country and advancing the economic program of Cameroon so as to get to emergence in 2035. And of course we have to work on the program for the youths to ensure that we give the youths a satisfaction and make them fulfill their potentials,” Ngute told reporters after the meeting.

Biya also asked the government officials to restore peace in the two troubled English-speaking regions where a conflict about independence from the largely French-speaking country had been escalating, according to some officials who attended the meeting.

It was the first council meeting since the cabinet reshuffle on Jan. 4.

Source: Xinhua

15, January 2019

How Dr Kwameh Nkrumah’s 1959 visit proves that the one and indivisible Cameroon mantra is a hoax ⁰

In 1959, at the invitation of the government of Southern Cameroons, Ghanaian President Kwameh Nkrumah visited Southern Cameroon and was welcome at the Tiko International airport by then out-going Premier, Dr. EML Endeley and the incoming Prime Minister-elect, JN Foncha, after the 1959 general election victory of the KNDP.

Dr Nkrumah left Tiko and flew back to Accra; he did not go to Yaounde or Dschang or Nkongsamba. CPDM regime sycophants and apologists of monolithic hangover can now see that the one, united and indivisible Cameroon mantra is a hoax.

Southern Cameroons was a country of its own, with all the appurtenances of a nation state – a government, its own police force, Parliament and a Senate called House of Chiefs. Southern Cameroons was never part of French Cameroun and Nkrumah’s visit proved this historic fact beyond reasonable doubt.

14, January 2019

The Ambazonian Interim Gov’t: Recognising some important achievements ⁰

To say the IG has not done anything good in this revolution is just clear evidence that whoever is speaking is not honest. This is a limited list of achievements by the Ambazonian Interim Government:

11 February – dead and buried
20 May -dead and buried
1st October – alive
Consistent Ghost towns- alive
Ambazonia now in the mouth of journalists and law makers in different countries.
LGA by LGA a new strategy of sustainability people leading from bottom up.
Leadership which was incommunicado now known to be alive. IG footing legal bills
ABC TV our own 100% state own TV.
Two resolutions passed in the US Congress in our favour.
UK House of Commons debate on Ambazonia
UK promise over 1.4 million pounds for aid to IDPs of Ambazonia
UN Security Council discussed Ambazonia crisis and ordered Biya to dialogue and get to the root of the matter with us.
Over 500 LRC terrorists sent to hell. Hundred of LRC military vehicles decommissioned.
Huge economic loses to LRC control enterprises.

-CDC

-Lobe palm estate

-Delmonte banana

-Rubber plant

Serious economic crises on LRC military soldiers going without pay for months sending LRC to dive deeper in debts.
Presidential election – dead in Ambazonia.
XAF or CFA suffers and on the brinks of devaluation

Let the people Ambazonia watch out for those who wish they were in control and trying to blackmail the Interim Government so they can have their way. No government in this world is perfect. But you do not discredit a government because of few imperfections.

To say the IG has done nothing in 2017 is clear evidence that such a group or people have an agenda against the IG. The people of Ambazonia should not allow power hungry people to manipulate them.

The Interim Government has inter alia

taken care of our refugees in Nigeria through our HSS department for 2years and counting
stopped la Republique elections of Oct 7th 2018 through nationwide lockdown
banned CPDM across our territory
rejected French Cameroun citizenship and now all known as Ambazonians
Taken care of our abducted people in La Republique dungeons for over 2years now and counting
declared the restoration of the independence of the Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia on October 1st 2017
stopped AFCON 2019 from taking place in La Republique du Cameroun
provided support to our bereaved families through HSS
provided medical assistance to our injured RFs
Successfully organized the sabotaged Washington AACC of August 2018
provided assistance to our people currently living in bushes across homeland through HSS
Rendered Douala Seaport worthless to CAR
Brought heavy voices of pan Africanists like Prof POL Lumumba, Jerry Rawlings, Massango of Punchline Africa, behind our cause
accomplished a comprehensive modern, 21st century market oriented academic curriculum for our education system
changed self defense game in GZ
established a robust and up to date website (www.ambazoniagov.org)for our cause in order to be able to sell our story across the world
More than 10 undisclosed potential positive diplomatic moves ongoing

11, January 2019

Cameroon Ranked Among The Worst Democratic Countries in Africa ⁰

A new Democracy Index published by the Economist, a renowned magazine, has placed Cameroon among the least democratic countries in Africa. In the Magazine report, Cameroon was equally ranked among the world’s top twenty most authoritarian states.

The Democracy Index based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture. Based on its scores on a range of indicators within these categories, each country is then itself classified as one of four types of regime: “full democracy”, “flawed democracy”, “hybrid regime” and “authoritarian regime”.

According to the report, Cameroon performed poorly in all four categories measured. It indicates that Biya’s country has one of the worst functioning governments in the region, and there is widespread abuse of civil liberties, while the electoral process is significantly flawed.

“In Cameroon…the president secured a seventh term in elections held in October. The poll was characterized by low voter turnout amid poor security and severe irregularities that have left Cameroonians disillusioned with the fairness of the process” part of the report notes.

This is not the first time Cameroon is being showed a red card in democratic practice as similar findings were published by the Mo Ibrahim governance Index report in 2018. The report noted the spike in authoritarian governance in Cameroon, widespread corruption, abuse of civil and political rights, and a dysfunctional state.

Source: Fomlsc.com

6, January 2019

A Picture speaks 1000 words: One, United and Indivisible Cameroon Hoax ⁰

Look at Ahidjo’s body language on Jan 1, 1960; the day French Cameroun was granted independence and you can see the master-servant relationship between Francophones and France. From Jan. 1 1960 to February 11, 1961, Southern Cameroons was then a self-governing British UN-mandated territory with all the trappings of a nation-state, including its own internationally recognized borders and never part of French Cameroun.

If Britain had availed itself of its obligations towards the Southern Cameroons people, the 3rd option of independence agreed by the 43 delegates at the August 1959 All Party Conference in Mamfe, chaired by Sir Sidney Phillipson, Acting Southern Cameroons Commissioner, would not have been rejected by Andrew Cohen, Britain’s representative to the UN Trusteeship Council. The time has come to right this historical wrong. Biya should stop reveling in self-delusion; we are no longer in the 1970s. The regime can say what it wants, but nobody is fooled anymore.

Biya’s nepotistic abuse of presidential power to favor his Beti kith and kin is beyond clannishness. This generation of Anglophones are well-educated and know that the issue at stake here is their natural resources, which Biya exploits to feed his kleptocratic regime of tribal jingoists. The Ambazonia resistance speaks directly to the Anglophone resolve to fight and die for their future and there will be no peace, until Biya and his Beti cabal understand that Anglophones never voted to become the footstool of French Cameroun exploitation and plunder. Anglophones have rejected a system where a small clique of vampire elite are stealing the nation blind with impunity while the president looks the other way. Just look at the scandalously inflated AFCON 2019 contracts and ask yourself whether such monumental corruption could happen in Ambazonia?

The only thing that will bring unity in Cameroon is for the government to eschew this conquest mentality and dialogue with Anglophones where both sides will renegotiate the unity and the future of Cameroon as equal partners or revert to the status quo ante Feb 11, 1961

By Ekinneh Agbaw-Ebai

5, January 2019

Amba December Resistance Spoils Biya’s New Year Eve “Victory” Soundbite ⁰

The Ambazonia resistance is also a war of soundbites and news headlines reaching international news media and western capitals. The Ambazonia “spartan” resistance in December, including Christmas day clashes despite otherwise crippling losses at the hands of government defence and security forces, were a race for the headlines in classic international news and on social media.

That has spoiled what would have been the declaration of President Biya’s career if he had to open his New Year Eve address thus: “Fellow Cameroonians, my dear country men, we crushed them!”

(Remember the American official in Iraq declaring with unsuppressed relish after the capture of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, “Ladies and gentlemen, we got him!”)

That soundbite from Biya, would have had to go viral over international media and, received in the capitals of powerful countries and organizations, would have had to douse pressure on Yaounde to engage genuine, inclusive dialogue with Ambazonia leaders. After all, the world only seeks to solve a problem affecting the world, that is, the strategic interests of the big players; they are not drawn by moral, humanitarian considerations. So, if Yaounde was having the situation under control, why would the world waste scarce resources here?

Despite or because of the creation of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Committee (also obviously in Biya’s end of year speech calculations) which looked like an olive branch weeks ago, government forces increased their fire power, hoping to build on undisputable gains from what they thought would have the impact of “serial” decapitation killings of Ambazonia field commanders.

Because of DDR and the hope that offer of amnesty to “misled good boys” dragged into the bush by “criminal bad boys” would instigate desertion by some Ambazonia fighters as Dr Simon Munzu lamented in a recent TV interview or a mutiny, government forces might also have hoped for some rudderless or demoralized combatants to surrender to government forces or naively throw themselves into government ambush, get massacred in quantums and their bodies displayed as signs of failure of their resistance.

Yes, some field commanders have been killed. Yes, the “Bali Massacre” and the Batibo/Guzang “friendly fire” backstabbing left big wounds in the heart of the Amba revolution, and there have been other factional tragedies. But there are no signs of decapitation, demoralization, induced (not coordinated) demobilization nor even desertion from the rebellion (DDDDR).

It is a good guess that recent gun battle resistance by Ambazonia forces, including some reported ruthless actions taken against captured government forces are calculated moves to dictate the soundbites that reach international media and foreign governments.

Now, it is obvious Biya cannot deliver a victory speech tonight. The Ambazonia resistance has not been crushed. The world won’t be fooled by a “victory” soundbite. Biya will have to cave in to talks as the only way of making peace with the Ambazonia resistance.

By Franklin Sone Bayen

30, December 2018

“Whether we accept it or not, Ambazonian leaders are in the Diaspora” ⁰

Those who are backing Cardinal Tumi’s initiative and condemning restoration advocates are making a mistake. When in 2016, the government sat down with the Consortium to negotiate but turned around and arrested the same people they were negotiating with them the previous night, would anyone in their right mind trust such a government?

Holding the so-called AGC in the Republic of Cameroon or in Ambazonia, any frontline leader who venture to attend such a so-called conference is abandoning freedom to jail. If Cardinal and his spiritual leaders were serious and want those advocating for restoration of Southern Cameroon independence, they would arrange in a neutral country.

Cardinal Tumi knows very well that he himself is afraid to say what is in his heart of heart. Someone will ask me if I am God to know the mind of the Cardinal, I would say I am not God but those spiritual leaders are talking with fear. Has anyone of them ever mentioned that the views of the majority of Southern Cameroonians that we get our independence from the Republic of Cameoon?

All they have been talking is federation and discentralisation. The so-called ten regions is already discentralization. We tried federation but it failed. Let the spiritual leaders take the meeting out of Cameroon. It may be their passports have been confiscated. If they are serious, the AGC should be held outside Cameroon. It is only then attendees will be frank. Whether we accept it or not, Ambazonian leaders are in the Diaspora. That’s the simple fact. God bless.

30, December 2018

Ambazonia: Understanding the Tapang Ivo-Barrister Kongny Nsahlai Affair ⁰

Meet Barrister Emmanuel Kongnyuy Nsahlai, the California lawyer who is suing Ambazonia front line activist, Tapang Ivo Tanku in a US court. His father, Christopher Nsahlai, from Jakiri in the NW region was a former minister of transport and ambassador to the Central African Republic. His mum is Beti and a relation of the former first lady, Jeanne Irene Biya; which means Nsahlai and Biya are “moyos” since they married from the same family. A graduate of University of Arkansas, Barrister Nsahlai was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2000 but in 2002, his law license was suspended for failure to pay his Bar fees.

The California Lawyers Association describes Nsahlai as a Workers Compensation attorney and this raises a red flag why he would be involved in a complicated human rights case. The address of Nsahlai Law Firm provided in the lawsuit -3250 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 1500, Los Angeles, CA-90010 – happens to be the same address of another law firm, Onwaeze & Nwabuzor. The phone number provided by Nsahlai-(213-797-0369) has a voice recording referencing the law offices of Onwaeze & Nwabuzor; owned by Emmanuel Nwabuzor and Victor Onwaeze, with 4 employees and an estimated annual revenue of $429,288.

All these red flags raises fundamental questions why a relatively obscure attorney without even an office, would decide to engage in such a lawsuit on behalf of some anonymous plaintiffs who claim to be US citizens. The questions then becomes: if the regime really wanted to take action against Ambazonia activists in the US, why pick this featherweight lawyer?

The answer lies in the relationship between Paul Atanga Nji and the Nsahlai family. In the countdown to the 1997 presidential election, Atanga Nji, then general manager of a mafia money-laundering outfit called Highland Cooperation Bank, whose only office was its headquarters at the Yaounde Hilton hotel, hatched a sinister plot to ban the SDF from contesting the election after repeated threats from Fru Ndi that another stolen victory risk precipitating all out war. The plot involved presenting Ambassador Nsahlai as the candidate for a potential coalition of CPDM-satellite opposition parties led by the UDP of Lawan Bako; as a counterpoise to Fru Ndi and its boisterous base of supporters in Bamenda.

The regime hoped such a move would incite SDF militants to target Nsahlai and his family. To crown it all, Atanga Nji conspired with the Nsahlai family to fake the kidnapping of Mrs Nsahlai; to give the regime the excuse it wanted to blame the SDF, ban Fru Ndi and impose a state of emergency on the NW region. The Nsahlai family knew the story was fake, and did not bother to alert the police. Rather, one of the Nsahlai daughters came to The Herald office in Yaounde to report her mum has been kidnapped in Bamenda. Her story was contradictory; she hadn’t called her Dad to inform him and her reason for not alerting the police was unconvincing. After grilling her, I let her know that I will be writing the true story that the kidnap of Mrs Nsahlai was fake. Atanga Nji came to the rescue. Atanga Nji paid FCFA 1, 000, 000 to get the fake story published as a missing person’s report, but all that was inconsequential because the SDF decided to boycott the election.

So, does it surprise anyone that Ambassador Nsahlai’s son will agree to do the dirty job for the Biya regime? Atanga Nji has been getting away with murder. He and his handlers are war criminals. He is directly responsible for the Ambazonia genocide. His death squads are killing innocent Anglophones and blaming it on rival Ambazonia fighters; all in a desperate effort to divide Anglophones and weaken the resistance. The Beti cabal are looking the other way shrugging their soldiers and saying: if Atanga Nji wants to slaughter his own people to protect Biya’s power, then so be it! Atanga Nji is too ignorant to understand that there is no military solution to the crisis. So all his antics, including frivolous lawsuits by fifth columnists and regime apologists targeting Ambazonia activists abroad will never defeat the resistance. Ambazonia shall overcome.

By Ekinneh Agbaw-Ebai

27, December 2018

Yaounde: Maurice Kamto ‘barred’ from travelling out of the country ⁰

The man widely believed to have won the October 7 presidential poll in French Cameroun, Prof Maurice Kamto has accused authorities of scheming to bar him from travelling out of the country.

According to a statement from a member of the Kamto Campaign, Cameroun government authorities have refused to renew Kamto’s passport since it expired despite all formal procedures completed for renewal.

“The national and international community is informed that President Maurice Kamto has been barred from leaving Cameroon,” Olivier Bibou Nissack, spokesman for Maurice Kamto said.

Kamto last left the country in November to attend the African Union summit with the help of his civil passport but it has equally reached its expiration date without renewal and his team sees this as a means to stifle the president of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement.

“It is now very clear that the various illegal restrictions on Kamto’s freedoms which started with a house arrest which never came to fruition, other measures are being taken to restrict his freedom of movement and communication” Bibou Nissack said

Maurice Kamto has refused to recognize the results proclaimed by the Constitutional Council declaring Paul Biya winner of the October 7 Presidential election, vowing to challenge the results at international level.

Source: Journal du Cameroun