Why Cameroon opposition is divided over how to handle the after-Biya question

Against a background of increasingly strident rhetoric, Cameroonian politicians and activists have been lining up to establish their credentials as hawks or doves as the government considers its option on the vexed question of an alternation or political transition after Paul Biya, national chairman of the Cameroon People Democratic Movement  (CPDM) and the acting Head of State.

Tradition holds that the president of the Cameroon Republic matters about as much as an anonymous leader of a strong opposition party. Modern commentators and journalists are no less scornful.

With a belligerent Head Of State in power for nearly 30 years most of the attention has been centred on the unknown successor who has let it be known that unless France, Great Britain, China, Russia and the United States toughen its stance against Biya`s decision to nominate his successor;

Next month, Paul Biya will travel to New York for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly.

 According to Cameroon diplomats, Paris, Washington and London offices are working to arrange a meeting between Barack Obama, Francois Hollande and David Cameron in order to seek three commitments, namely a promise that the US, France and the UK will increase the level of their financial support to the country after his departure from the power.

( In the picture Ahidjo shaking hands with Paul Biya...)

From Switzerland,where Biya and his entourage are on holidays break,  Hafis Ruefli,.leader of a political movement calling for a national citizens advice  in Cameroon would like the introduction of a tight deadline for negotiations with leaders of the largest world economic and industrialised countries.and that if these don`t work, some members of the opposition in Cameroon will join forces in a decisive action to force Biya to stand down. Ruefis is not alone in cranking up the pressure.

 John Fru Ndi leader of the Social Democratif Front (SDF), Adamu Ndam Njoya of the (CDU), Lady kah Walla, former SDF member,  Albert Ndzongang of the Dynamic,   and a coalition of small political parties named G7  have already announced that while a decision had not been taken by Biya to publicly declare who could possibly become his successor, the detailed plans to act had already been drawn up and were simply awaiting implementation.

The mutual dislike felt by both sides, government and the strong opposition means that Paul Biya will never sit by and allow the opposition to produce a workable plan that could bring peace and prosperity in Cameroon. However, this time around the talk between the government and the opposition is not confined to the possibility of war. 

The bottom line is that very few Cameroonians mainly outside the country, ( France, Belgium, US, UK,Germany,Chad...etc..)  want to ignite a war which would cause chaos in Cameroon, plunge the Central Africa region into a new economic downturn and cause huge numbers of unnecessary deaths.

 By the same token every Cameroonian wants to live in peace without the threat of uprising or a revolution at the hands of a group of political organisations whose leaders are pronounced undecided and unctuous.