Can Christine keep the IMF in good "custody"?

Since its foundation in 1947, the IMF has always been run by a European, while the World Bank is usually headed by an American and all this in the strong arena of men and now it could be the real change with Christine Lagarde...

The 55 year old female French finance minister who put her name forward to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn could become the first ever female to lead the International Monetary Fund.

 The move could also open doors to others International Financial organisations to accept female to lead their organisation, the World Bank could there be on the list.

The French has already the backing of the EU. During the G8 summit in France, Obama didn`t officially approved  that he is supporting the French but show his full support of having a female as a managing director of the IMF. Lagarde is on the way of becoming the first-woman to be managing director of the IMF in its 65 year history.

The real challenge now is to find whether Lagarde can carry the flag of emerging markets where ministers claim that the obsolete unwritten convention of appointing a European undermined the legitimacy of the Fund.Lagarde has already collected the 32% of the votes represented by the European Union.

The enthusiasm of a woman in the top job is well placed, although one might ask why when emerging nations are looking for the same top job now there is another French candidate. With the 16.7% of America votes on hold, Christine Lagarde is now the virtual unbeatable candidate for the top job at the IMF, despite the trifling matter of a judicial investigation...

Can Philemon Yang urge banks to lend more to consumers?

Cameroon Prime Minister Yang Philemon might have already discussed new measures with the entire cabinet to cut the budget deficit, in an effort to convince lenders and investors, the country can deal with a debt crisis without falling into a political trouble and social unrest and even restructuring.

There is no guarantee that the country can cope with a sudden social unrest as the cost of Cameroon borrowing soared to a new highs.

 Following ratings agency Standard and Poor`s decision to put Cameroon on a B and stable B, on a stable credit watch, economists are not yet anxious over political divisions in the country after a recent disorganized and disunited street`s demonstrations against austerity and the risen of the food prices as well.

While  it is true that the economy will almost certainly start to grow again in the coming months, there will still be major headwinds with the outcome of the next presidential election.

But according to the Prime Minister office, the debt restructuring is not under discussion and the government is working according to instructions received by the Head of State, President  Paul Biya.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank together  have already approved the actual government fiscal plan and the 2011 budget.

There is a CFA100 billion internal debt that the government needs to pay back without negotiations. The opposition has no alternative plan for that as it has been reduced to a single minded minority in the Parliament and the government can just do whatever its wants without a solid opposition. The Prime Minister office believes that the gouvernment economic policy is right and ant suggestion otherwise is incorrect

Consumers and businesses continue ahead of the election to pay off debt and borrow less, figures from the Cameroon Bankers` Association show that there are CFA billion available in Banks and the government is doing nothing to encourage Banks to lent more to consumers and the demand remains weak.

Sdf and Cpdm " run like dictatorship"

An ex-influential member of the National Executive council of the social democratic front ( SDF) and now president of the Cameroon People`s Party, branded the Cameroon People Democratic Movement and the Social Democratic Front, the two mainstream political party in cameroon " a dictatorship" after defecting to launch a newly created political party. According to official sources, that party is the 55 the registered to run for the next presidential election and has been given the reference N/372/D/MINAT of the 29/12/1991. The so called braveheart lady is standing for election against Paul Biya with courage and real ambition.

Kah Walla, the 46 year old ex-student for the  Saker Baptist College in Victoria, now Limbe in South West- Cameroon and the second female candidate after Marie Louise Eteki to run for the presidency at the next presidential election, accused both the  Cpdm and the Sdf of wagging campaign her for signing a secret letter opposing the government intention to open doors to the Sdf member long time ago without the party`s permission.

Kah Walla has been for long time one of John Fru Ndi female`s advisor during the political instability in cameroon before leaving for USA where she decided to become one of the female presidential candidate.

In the past the letter signed by Kah Walla while sdf member has called for a campaign to defeat the policies of the government. Since defecting the main opposition party, Kah Walla has been trying to work out another new vision for the country leading by a female rather than a man and also researching solutions for internal problems.( debt, financial deficit in public finances, corruption, injustice, unemployment, lost of trust in public service and good governance)

At the moment there is no financial capability information available from the party in order to assess the capacity of the party to offer that change that is needed at this time in Cameroon and also to go round the country in less than 5 months of the election.

The party would have to pay now a cfa 3 million  fee to be paid as surety for the registration for running for the presidency.

 And according to the law, the money will only be given back to those who will receive a total of more than 5% of the total vote and for those who will receive  less, nothing will be given back. There is no clear information about her campaign manifesto and what she will propose to the voters before the election. One of the insider close to John Fru Ndi who required the anonymity said that, the chairman took Kah Walla`s intention and decision to run for the presidency as a personal affront as she couldn`t do that when in the party before.  Kah might have received financial backing by anonymous donors and also those in exile in Us specially.

Press attack on candidates and specially female during presidential elections are not a new phenomenon in Cameroon politics. "We can agree that Paul Biya and the Cpdm for 29 years in reign have failed to implemente their manifesto and it is time now for them to leave and let others with experience and political will and vision to conduct cameroon through growth and prosperity," said with conviction Kah Walla."

Coalition government to be divided wider after elections

Splits in the Coalition government in Cameroon will be wider than ever regardless of the outcome of the next presidential election, one of the special advisor of the most senior acting cabinet minister admitted yesterday.

The country must seize this golden opportunity during the next presidential election to send a firm message to this coalition government that is inflicting pain on ordinary people while self-evidently enjoying the status of high office.

 After visiting many constituencies around the country, he said that the acrimonious campaigns had amplified the differences between the main party, the Cameroon People Democratic Movement (CPDM) and those that form the coalition.

 As if to illustrate the point, Bello Bouba Maigari, leader of the of the National Union for Progress and Democracy and actual transport minister in the coalition government and Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the communication minister and leader of his own political party have confronted their colleagues from the main party over different issues also over the Cpdm conservatives`personalised campaign for the next presidential election.

 Sources described that members of the main party often send the wrong campaign message to their electorate in their constituencies without having to discuss with them first of what messages are they going to send to people around and also what solutions for their problems are they going to provide.

 On the ground some members of the government often urge voters to size the historic chance to change Cameroon`s future and dimension and  even call on voters to hammer the party in coalition and give the main party the vote. And this is why parties in coalition government are not very happy.

  Amadou Ali, who is the most senior cabinet minister in the government and acting justice minister once suggested that if the next presidential election will dramatize or amplify the fact this coalition government is composed of different parties and the Cpdm is the progressive party in this arrangement, i don`t think that is a bad thing in the long run.Coalition

 But other parties in the coalition are not really happy by the way the main party is acting and conducting his election campaign without informing members of their intention and action.It is wrong what they are doing said, one of the special advisor of the justice minister, Amadou Ali.

 The Cpdm is viewed as a progressive and also a conservative political party by those in coalition and they said that it will be difficult to see any change happening while they are still in power and holding the majority of seats in the Parliament.

 The polls predicts a win for the Cpdm but supporters of the change and the total change of the regime in Cameroon say they could still clinch it. There is an anti-conservative majority underground in Cameroon that is afraid of any kind of retaliation from authorities in case they express what they really want.Only a fairer election will make that more likely to be expressed.

 But a source at the presidency said that there will be no reason to expect the coalition government to fall apart over after the next presidential election and the Cpdm is looking to gain more council seats during the election.

Biya is considered as a reformer but he must stop repression and intimidation, says The Foreign Office

Representatives of countries with which the UK has normal diplomatic relations have been invited to the wedding. An invitation does not mean endorsement or approval of the behaviour of any government, simply that we have normal diplomatic relations with that country.



A Foreign Office source yesterday claimed President Paul Biya of Cameroon has been a reformer for overs years despite his regime brutal attacks on pro-regime change protesters.

The Foreign Office insider suggested President Biya`s aims were being thwarted by other members of his long standing regime.

The Foreign Office believes that for Cameroonians authorities it is not too late to abandon totally the brutal repression and follow through on promised democratic institutions reforms.

The violent regime repression must stop and president Biya  should order his authorities around the country to show restraint and to respond to the legitimate demands of his own people with immediate and genuine reform not with brutal repression.

For the moment it is impossible to scrutinise the future and even to know what will happen next after the presidential elections that will be held next October 9 or 10 or 11 in Cameroon, the source added. The Foreign Secretary close`s advisor said  Britain " utterly" condemned the brutal repression and disappearances of people in Cameroon.

 President Biya`s power depends on a wider group of people in his own family and relatives and of course other members of his government and for that, we " Britain" are not sure how free will be the next crucial presidential elections and how free the president he is or will be to pursue a reform agenda.

Opposition figures in Cameroon strongly believe that, they will be ready to break the corrupted regime unless real democracy is introduced. A group called, Cameroon O Boso, said change and only a real change of regime would safeguard the nation from failing into a period of violence, chaos after the election results will be published.

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.

Raid on Douala, Bamenda and Buea protesters raises fear army ready to hijack revolution in Cameroon

Underground demonstrators turn their anger against Cameroon`s heavily armed general and commanders after attack by security forces accusing them protecting a failed regime that doesn't care about his own people aspiration.

Cameroon`s deepening political and social crisis, which has followed the attack by security forces on streets where demonstrators were expressing their anger against Biya regime, took a dangerous new turn last week as unidentified soldiers armed with clubs and rifles stormed protesters` homes. Douala, Bamenda and Buea are considered as strong hold for opposition leaders and also protesters against Biya regime.

 At least it emerged that dozen of February 23 call of public anger demonstrators`leaders has been arrested in a pre-dawn raid and family member injured during the coordinated military operation. Cameroonians securities forces fired live ammunition to disperse hundreds of protesters in Douala, the main economic capital city of Cameroon as the country is facing an increasing underground anger against the ruling elite.

Unidentified organizers are calling from their bunker an organised monthly protests that could be a serious escalation in the protest movement. But the country has already been there in the earlier 1990 and 1992 and today a large majority are not longer kind to follow the same road for a call for regime changed said an identified source.

The demonstrators, angry at the slow progress of reform since the last presidential election where the winner Paul Biya promised to fight against corruption and poverty and push the country forward sustainable development policies by creating more jobs for young people and nothing has been done, had been demanding a total change or regime and also some demanding the trial of Biya and his close associates and an immediate transition from Biya regime to a total new regime with new faces in the country.

everywhere around the country there are reports about a growing number of underground protesters. They are underground because most of them work as civil servant and are not really happy by the way their own government that they work for doesn't do enough for them to relieve the poverty and also to fight against corruption.

 There are a growing and an increasing number angry people and also the intention revealed the increasing impatience and mistrust that many Cameroonians feel today and even since the last presidential election in 2007. Some protesters today are accusing the top army general commanders of protecting Biya and his close associates.

The military issued a statement covered by the government afterward blaming " outlaws" for rioting and violating the country law about street protests and also they stress that they will not tolerate any acts of rioting or any act that harms the interest of the country and the people.