Cameroon on a path which may lead to Biya-free governance

Cameroonians who long ago lost faith that anything will ever change may have cause to reconsider as the ruling party will host in the next coming weeks  a joint ordinary and extra-ordinary congress since the last presidential election in 2007, with a harsh scolding from their leader Paul Biya that the sclerotic habits of a geriatric government and fake decentralised planned economy, impunity and corruption must end.

 As the Cameroon People Democratic Movement ( CPDM) will debate the future and the vision of the country, Paul Biya and his close advisors point to a brave new system. 

According to an insider, the long awaited congress is expected to bring new faces into the top positions of the regime and approve a set of risky reforms first outlined in these informal meetings that the general secretary of the  central committee, Rene Sadi has been organizing around the country.

 Rene Sadi`s difficult and impossible mission is to save the communitarianism revolution brought by Paul Biya and his allies without destroying it. Rene Sadi needs to overcome the inertia of a top heavy bureaucracy not comfortable with the reforms he seeks. The left wing of the ruling party that its considered as reformist group encouraged by the leader himself will propose a system of term limits under which no one could serve in top positions for more than two successive five year term.

 This motion that will be moved by the reformist group during the next congress needs to be approved by the majority of the party member before even been adopted by the congress and endorsed by the leader, Paul Biya.

 The term-limit proposal if agreed implies that Cameroon is approaching a time when Paul Biya will not longer be at the helm. But from what it is been said and taught around members of the party, there are mixed messages.

 What it is true it is that this last congress will be opened on a sad known news about members of the party and ex-government ministers been in prison accused of corruption and embezzlement..

.During the congress it is said that during his speech, Paul Biya will say declare that the changes will come without hurry and fear, but without a pause.

 The promise of change after so many years of stagnation may give Cameroonians hope, but will also unnerve them.

As a reason for his failure, Paul Biya will announce that the government does not have a reserved of well trained replacement with sufficient experience and maturity to replace the current acting members, nearly all of whom are now in their 60s and 70s.

 Laurent Esso, the acting general secretary of the presidency in Cameroon and former justice minister is one of those who are now nearly on retirement age after been shifted in many government positions.

The time had come to instigate systematic rejuvenation of the whole chain of party and administrative posts.

Corruption in Cameroon is a perceived problem until....,

Cameroon , where British oil companies and businesses  have substantial interests, does not feature on the UK's list of countries whose human rights records are of concern. That  is very strange and bizarre. Other British businesses operating in Cameroon  include Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Standard Chartered 

It is time now to move on

It is simply untrue that Cameroon doesn`t produce any mineral resources. Just look at how former government ministers have wiped out tax payer monies for their own sake and their family. Embezzlement. That is the word that has to be used. 

And for more than 13 years of impunity and a culture of no question, the country is going in another wrong direction. Corruption is now another way of life in Cameroon. 

From the corruption perception index in 2008, Transparency International found out that  the legal environment for curbing corruption in Cameroon did not undergo any significant change.

Because during that period, Paul Biya didn`t take reasonable stand and step to fight corruption from its roots. Members of his own family and the first lady were involved in corruption affairs. 

This was despite President Paul Biya’s communication, at the first meeting of newly appointed Cabinet ministers in 2007, that his three priorities for action were boosting economic growth, improving the population’s living conditions and fighting corruption.

In his end-of-year address to the nation, Biya underlined the depth of his commitment by stating, ‘The time has come for action. We must shake off inertia, remove obstacles, set goals and deadlines... and meet these targets.’ 

Although such statements were  encouraging, unfortunately these words were not enough. Although some  scapegoats ministers were arrested and charged for embezzlement while others who didn`t shown outside that they stole from the State were left free and walking on the street and enjoying their life . But for how long? Only Paul Biya will decide..

Laws need to be implemented and be made effective if Cameroon’s efforts to adopt anti-corruption measures are to be successful and supported by Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and Global Corruption Barometer. 

Corruption, like any other form of widespread social phenomenon, is built on networks and interactions.  Treating it in isolation is therefore ineffective, and as such it should be approached in a systemic way, looking not only at cases of corruption but also the reforms under way to identify weaknesses in the fight against it. 

 

It is now time to go

These figures support the president’s assessment , that Cameroon is suffering inertia in promoting reforms that could assist in anti-corruption initiatives.

The most important factors that encourage corruption are impunity and lack of sanctions,

inertia and inaction on the part of the administration, the desire for personal enrichment, lack of transparency and low wages.

The government has responded with various measures to deal with these challenges.

In relation to impunity and lack of sanctions, an acceleration of legal proceedings has led to high-level government dignitaries being charged and imprisoned. Those who have been arrested are been portrayed as the scapegoat of a failed regime and government in Cameroon.

Biya at 73 year old now  is the one promoting and not being able to fight that  inertia and on top of that he has the  power, the constitutional power today to fight against the so called inertia. 

The only way to move forward will be for him to just step down as the head of state and leave the 12 millions eligible voters to decide on a fair, transparent and democratic general election or presidential election  the future of the country. .

Is Biya today  ready  to do that ? Or will his army general`advisors should instruct him to step down for the sake of his age and after played an important role in maintaining peace and social-stability in the country with the help of the armed forces...?

The 2010 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index ( CPI)  will be published next Tuesday the 26th October and it will be good to see how Cameroon has managed again to show the world that something is been done internally and politically to fight against corruption..