The Constitutional Law Committee of the National Assembly met recently in the so called Glass Palace at Ngoa Ekellé Yaounde. The CPDM MPs examined changes to the bill on the Penal Code by the Senate. The members of the Commission led by Zondol Hersesse found themselves once again facing the all powerful Minister of State, Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso to review a text that the whole house had voted for in a plenary session held on 22 June.

This reconsideration of a bill is consistent with the provisions of Article 30 of the Constitution of Cameroon. What is this new examination of the text? An amendment was made to Article 127 of the draft law on the Penal Code at the plenary session which was adopted by the Senate. At the center of many debates, the article concerned in particular “the encroachments of the court on certain immunities.” Clearly, the text adopted and sent to the Senate indicated that any magistrate or police officer who, in violation of laws on immunity stops or prosecute a member of government or parliament shall be imprisoned for one to five years.

The new formulation of the text, according to Senator David Siegfried Etame Massoma, President of the Constitution Acts Commission of the Senate now reads: “is punished with imprisonment of one to five years, magistrate or police officer who continues, stop or judge anyone, in violation of laws on immunity.” Clearly, the CPDM crime syndicate has once again moved the goal post and members of government are no longer covered by this provision.

Senator Etame Massoma also pointed out that the amendment to this article was introduced by the government following the debate that had aroused from this provision in the Penal Code. Pursuant to section 3-B of Article 30 of the Constitution, the text which was discussed yesterday in the Committee of the National Assembly will be again be adopted by the entire chamber. After this exercise, the Speaker of the National Assembly will pass the final version of the text to the President of the Republic for promulgation. The political calendar promises to be very heavy on the side of those pro Biya comedians at the Ngoa Ekellé glass house. The end of the current session is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday 1 July 2016.

Sama Ernest with files from Cameroon Tribune

The National Assembly has adopted two more bills in the ongoing 2nd Ordinary Session. The first bill authorizes the President of the Republic to ratify the agreement between the Government of Cameroon and that of Italy on the reciprocal exemption from the obligation to holders of diplomatic or service passports to obtain short-term visas.

This agreement was signed in Yaounde on the 17^th of March 2016 and that governing undertakings for collective investments in transferable securities in Cameroon. Before the adoption of bills, the House Chamber debated on the bills with the bill on visas exemption between Cameroon and Italy attracting more questions from the Members of Parliament to the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella.

MPs raised issues such as the issuance of diplomatic passports to all members of the National Assembly, poor treatment of Cameroonians including those with diplomatic passports in some countries and dual nationality for Cameroonians abroad amongst others. Minister Mbella Mbella explained that the issuance of diplomatic passports is regulated by the Vienna Treaty on Diplomacy which does not provide for diplomatic passports for MPs.

While stating that the issue of dual nationality is being examined, the Minister also announced that plans are underway for other agreements to be negotiated with some other countries like China and Germany on visa exemption for short-term stay. The second bill defended by the Minister of Finance, Alamine Ousmane Mey clarified MPs on the functioning of the Douala Stock Exchange and measures such as the increase in the number and capacity of the Custom Administration to live up to expectation within the framework of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.

It emerged that the bill on regulating undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities in Cameroon seeks to establish a legal framework in pursuant to Section 4(2) of Law No. 99/15 of 22 December 1999 to establish and organize a financial market.

A well fed CPDM mayor of Mombo in the Mungo Division in the Littoral region and two of his colleagues have been sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Special Criminal Court for embezzling the sum of 32 million FCFA from the municipality.

Mayor Jean Claude Djouokou of Mombo and his cashier, Gérard Njanpouop Mbomda must also repay the sum of 18 million FCFA back into the treasury.

Sama Ernest (Cameroon Concord News Group)

Top among the numerous issues deliberated at the June 2016 Plenary session in the so called Upper and Lower houses of parliament were proposals made by the ruling CPDM crime syndicate on the Cameroon Penal Code. Cameroon’s 50 year old Penal Code has witnessed some modifications which includes

–Adultery remains a criminal act not only against women, but men inclusive.

–The eviction of a spouse from the matrimonial home by any person other than the spouse of the victim is now a crime.

–Indecent or illegal practices in any public or private enterprise will lead to complete disintegration, permanent or temporal closure of the enterprise.

–Renting fraud: Six months to three years imprisonment terms for recalcitrant tenants: (those refusing to pay their rents) will be charged with fines ranging from 100 to 300,000 FCFA.

–Unscrupulous tenants who before leaving the house, damage some equipment will be severely punished.

–Street begging prohibited.

– Illegal sale of drugs is now a crime.

The scrutiny exercise was supervised by the Minister of Justice and keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso, assisted by the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Amadou Ali. The Cameroon bar association has called for an immediate stop of the penal code review.

CRTV

The unending internal wrangling, unhealthy rivalry, bitterness and hatred common of the ruling CPDM party was brought to the limelight at a ceremony to officially commission the newly appointed regional and divisional delegation leaders of the South West.  While installing the so called Regional Head of the CPDM South West region in the person of Senator Peter Mafany Musonge, the Secretary General of the Central Committee, Jean Nkwete tasked Musonge to reunite the party and restore its credibility in the region.

Cameroon Intelligence Report understands the new CPDM curriculum seems to have rendered the all powerful Section Presidents redundant. However, Secretary Jean Nkwete sounded a note of caution to the newly installed regional and divisional heads not to relegate section presidents and become party bosses.

The CPDM Scribe noted that the party bosses would remain the section presidents. Jean Nkuete emphasized on party discipline for success in future political consultations. The Biya acolyte revealed that the primordial function of the divisional delegations was strictly coordination. CPDM mayors were told to work in close collaboration with the section presidents.

Cham Victor Bama (CIR)