‘Jail Me If I’m Guilty’ Fru Ndi Tells Biya
July 18, 2008
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Chris Mbunwe
The Chairman of the SDF, John Fru Ndi, has said if President Biya thinks that he can manipulate the court to crush him by imprisoning him he will readily accept if that will help Biya achieve what he did not achieve in 25 years in power.
The SDF Chair was speaking at a press briefing at his Ntarinkon residence, Bamenda, over the weekend, following the recent ruling by the Mfoundi High Court that charged him with complicity to the murder of Gregoire Diboule.
Late Diboule, it should be recalled, belonged to Ben Muna’s faction that organised a controversial National Convention of the SDF in Yaoundé on May 26, 2006.Fru Ndi said no amount of intimidation and threats will send him escaping from Cameroon. "That Yaounde court ruling was meant to tarnish my image as they have always done and the fact remains that I am not guilty of any crime.
If this court were a just court, the judges there could have even once, brought Ben Muna, who was an interested party because he is the one that organised the so-called SDF Convention, which was even banned by the same administration. It was during this meeting that the militants clashed and one person died. How could I have been in Bamenda and at the same time in Yaoundé? Impossible!"
Fru Ndi said he never sent people to go fight in Yaounde.He said that he has not yet seen anybody who can frustrate his political career or frighten him.
Hear him: "In the 90s when things were rough, the government dispatched helicopters that hovered over my residence for several hours; sent people to come poison me right in my house.
In Yaoundé, riot police sprayed itchy chemicals at me and my entourage; gendarmes opened fire and shot me on the leg in Bafoussam. All of these could have forced me to escape but I stood firm to die for the suffering people of Cameroon. So, am waiting to see them pronounce any jail term on me."
He said he is still being monitored seriously by forces of law and order. He cited a recent case where police of the Special Branch in Bamenda flooded Ayaba Hotel during the three day-training of SDF Shadow Cabinet Ministers. "Why is this government always panicking?
I had to call in some of these secret agents, and I told them that we were training people who will serve them better when they eventually assume office as ministers. Even some of these police need training because some of them write very poor reports with facts turned upside down."
Reacting to a newspaper publication alleging that he must have received some money from President Biya that has drawn him nearer and Biya is poised to destroy him, Fru Ndi said these are imaginations from a press that has failed to verify all information. "Is it not the very President Biya who declared on French TV Channel that he has never met with Fru Ndi? I would like those publishing such information to state where, when and what amount and in which bank account this money was sent."
On how prepared is the SDF party with rumours indicating that government might take SDF and other opposition parties unaware with Senatorial elections next year, Fru Ndi said if elections are called tomorrow his party is prepared. He said the SDF will fully take part in the elections despite the bad electoral laws in place.
This, to him, will give his party an opportunity to once more expose the bad governing of Cameroon’s democracy.On his colleagues of the opposition lobbying to enter government, Fru Ndi said these are political adventurers who have proven that for the past years, they had nothing to offer Cameroonians.
"Entering Biya’s government to execute only his plans can only frustrate the ideas of a vibrant political party like the SDF. Others are begging to be appointed as ministers, why can’t they ask what happened to those whom Biya appointed and later dumped. What did they achieve in advancing our democracy apart from amassing wealth for themselves and their families?" he quipped.
for once in our life let us respect the fact we need to eradicate that sickness called povaty. fru ndi even u for all this while U orth to have known that CPDM need high intelectual to crack down that thier mini brains . all they are practising are just peti stealing . You are supposed to be well equiped with ur own media to have this people exposed around the well . Fru Ndi ur brain is the most deadly weapon it remove Biya from power in a second just use it well .
To you Mr fru Ndi… []
Court Urged to Halt Handover of Bakassi
July 18, 2008
18 July 2008
Posted to the web 18 July 2008
Lagos
Eight prominent indigenes of Bakassi yesterday asked a Federal High Court Abuja to halt the August 14 final cession of the oil-rich peninsular to Cameroon.
Respondents to the suit are President Umaru Yar’Adua, the National Assembly, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the governor of Cross River and the State House of Assembly.
Others are the National Boundary Commission, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the CBN and the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
In a fresh motion filed by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr Kayode Fasetire, they urged the court to restrain the Federal Government from further implementation of the "Green Tree Agreement" between it and Cameroon.
In the agreement signed on June 12, 2006 in New York, Cameroon would assume full sovereignty over Bakassi on Aug. 14.
The agreement was reached and endorsed by the two countries after the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague, held that Bakassi belonged to Cameroon.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Justice Mustapha Umar had on June 10 refused to grant the injunctive order on the ground that Fasetire did not file a formal application to that effect.
But Fasetire filed a formal application yesterday for the injunction, attaching relevant documents to back up his relief.
He urged the court to grant the injunction pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Chiefs Slam Govt Decentralisation Policy
July 18, 2008
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Olive Ejang Tebug Ngoh
Southwest Chiefs have decried the prolonged and slow pace of implementation of decentralisation in Cameroon.
Council of SW Chiefs:Unhappy with delay in implimenting decentralisation
This observation was made on Saturday, July 12, during the all Southwest Development Conference that took place at the Kumba City Council hall.Chief Atem Ebako, during the discussion forum, lamented that twelve years after the introduction of decentralisation in Cameroon, it is still a dream.
He said Senior Divisional Officers are still allowed to lord it over people and command everywhere.The Chief observed that Southwesterners are sick; else they would have opened their eyes and follow the mainstream of politics in the nation.
Chief Ebako stated that they are tired of MINATD’s "jazz" of decentralisation that still impoverishes the masses in villages.According to Ebako, it was a disgrace that Chiefs boast of Ministers and a Prime Minister whereas the Province continues to go backward.He further chided the Chiefs for claiming to have abundant natural resources and questioned what the government has given them in return.
The Chief bemoaned the fact that even CRTV radio signals are absent in Kumba, since the lone transmitter was carried away. He noted that domestic flights would soon go operational in Douala and Yaounde at subsidised rates while their province is left out.
The Chief also expressed bitterness that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Jean Kuete, has visited three Provinces in the Francophone region, where he donated FCFA 100 million to each Province for farmers. "Where is the Southwest Province?" he questioned.
Recalling the development conference of May 23-24, where the Chiefs resolved to increase food production in the Province, he regretted that one month after, the project is yet to kick off. He told his fellow Chiefs to design their projects following the political mainstream of the nation, else they risk failing.
Also, the disgruntled Chief decried the absence of Parliamentarians and Mayors (whom he claimed were invited) at the development conference.In a socio-cultural committee report presided by HRH Nfor Tabetando, it was noted that factors impeding development in the Province include infighting in terms of jobs, appointments and contracts.
The report revealed that there was lack of patriotism and commitment to issues relating to the Southwest. The Chief noted that there was marginalisation and exclusion, chieftaincy disputes over succession, leadership and indiscriminate sales of land.
At the end, a socio-cultural committee was formed to unite Southwesterners and encourage them to live with the spirit of love, reconciliation and oneness.
"Food For All" Project
The meeting also evaluated the work of an Agro-Economy Action Committee that started work on May 25, after the end of the Southwest Development Conference that ended the previous day.The committee initiated a project dubbed "Food for All," aimed at increasing food production in the Province.
The Chiefs said the bureau of Southwest Chiefs Conference, SWECC, is planning to meet the Minister of Agriculture for the project to go operational.Encouraging the "Food for All" Project, Nfon VE Mukete, paramount ruler of the Bafaws, and agronomist, advised the Chiefs to apply fertilizer in food production. He urged the Chiefs to sensitise their subjects to boost production and alleviate poverty.
On his part, Chief Norbert Mbile expressed regret that farmers have been abandoned to wallow in poverty. He said only less than 10 percent of money allotted to farmers by government reach them.According to him, even improved species of seedlings are not given to farmers.
SDF Now Participates in Setting Socialist Agenda Worldwide - Prof Kale
July 18, 2008
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Joe Dinga Pefok
The SDF Shadow Minister of Justice, Prof Kofele Kale, has said the SDF is now in the centre of the organ that sets the socialists agenda for the world.
Kale made this observation during a chat with reporters in Douala on July 14, at a ceremony to celebrate the election of Mrs Kambiwa into the high circle in Socialist international.
Prof Kale was part of the SDF delegation led by the Party’s National Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi, to the 21st congress of Socialists International, which took place in Athens, Greece, from June 30 - July 2.
He said the recent election of an SDF militant, Chantal Kambiwa (Shadow Minister in charge of Gender Affairs) into the presidium council of the Socialist International, gave the SDF the position.
According to the legal mind, the Presidium Council is the highest decision-making organ of Socialist International with 37 members. The Presidium Council, The Post learnt, has a President who is Jose Papandreou, a Secretary General (Louis Ayalla), and 35 Vice Presidents.
The members are mainly ex-officio, that Head of States (past and present), Prime Ministers (past and present), and leaders of political parties. Mrs Kambiwa is one of the only two members in the present presidium who were elected.
Some members of the present presidium council of Socialist International include the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, the Head of State of Chile, the President of ANC in South Africa, Jacob Zuma (also presumptive President of South Africa), the Secretary General of the French Socialist Party, Françoise Olan, the President of the German Socialist Party, and so on.
"It is a big victory for the SDF to have a representative in the presidium council. But the SDF has to concretise this victory by giving their representative both moral and financial support. The party has to rise up and effectively support their representative. The party should thus be prepared to set aside a budget to support the lady," Kale said.
Kale further said belonging to the presidium council of Socialist International gives the SDF limitless advantages. "The SDF for example now has somebody who can directly take up the party’s problems and present to members of the presidium. These are all people who matter in the world".
The Professor of Law said the SDF could use its position in the council for the interest of the country.
The Post learnt that the election of Mrs Kambiwa to the presidium council of the Socialist International was a pleasant surprise for both the lady and her party, the SDF.Mrs Kambiwa has reportedly been very active in the women wing of Socialist International.
Her hard work earned for her in 2003, the post of Vice President of the Socialist International Women, in charge of West and Central Africa.Prior to the congress of Socialists International, Mrs Kambiwa was re-elected during the 19th congress of Socialists International Women which took place in Greece from June 27-28.
Varsity Lecturers Announce Another Strike Action
July 18, 2008
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Ernest Sumelong
The coming academic year will start with a strike action by lecturers of State Universities in Cameroon, the National Union of Teachers of Higher Education, with French acronym, SYNES, has announced.
The decision to go on strike was arrived at after a SYNES meeting on July 3 in Yaounde.
"The Minister of Higher Education will be served a strike notice with a view to calling for a strike at the start of the next academic year if by then the next stages of the triennial programme are not fully implemented," according to a SYNES communiqué.
"We have been treated with a lot of scorn. This time around the strike will work. We are not just throwing empty words," a University of Buea lecturer, who did not want to be named, said.
Yet, it is unlikely that the announcement would perturb both the university and Higher Education authorities since the lecturers have made futile attempts at organising a strike action. It is believed that if teachers of Higher Education lead a successful strike action, it will open the door for teachers of the Secondary and Basic Education to follow suit since they have made similar demands.
The lecturers are spoiling for a showdown against a backdrop of never-ending complaints about poor working conditions and low pay.According to SYNES, the National Executive Bureau carried out a thorough examination of the state of affairs in the universities with particular emphasis on the teachers’ state of mind.
The teachers are vexed by the fact that government stopped the triennial programme (2001-2004) of the improvement of the working and living conditions of teachers in State universities after the implementation of its first phase in 2002. They also considered their relentless efforts at dialogue and attempts, since 1999, to call the government’s attention to the fast deteriorating studying and teaching conditions.
SYNES also observed that the Head of State had given instructions that proposals concerning the next phases of the triennial programme be speedily submitted to him. This, they say, was revealed to teachers’ delegates by the Minister of Higher Education at the end of a meeting on June 14, 2007.
Besides, the lecturers are incensed by the fact that Higher Education teachers in other African countries earn salaries by far more than those of their Cameroonian colleagues.
PMUC Staker Wins FCFA 132 Million
July 18, 2008
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Joe Dinga Pefok
Less than two weeks after Jean-Yves Tomi took over office as the new General Manager of Pari Mutuel Urbain Camerounais, PMUC, a staker hit the jackpot of FCFA 132.462.500.
This is the second highest amount won by a single staker in the history of the company. History holds that the highest amount a staker has ever won is FCFA 141 million; won in Yaounde on September 17, 2000.
This time around, the luck landed on a 55-year-old staker in Edea, who staked the Quinté + 4 sur 5, which comes up from Monday to Saturday each week. It is operated on a system that in case no staker has the wining numbers in order, the amount which was put up by PMUC for grab are carried forward to the following Friday.
It happened that for a number of weeks, no staker across the country had the winning numbers in order in the Quinté + 4 sur 5 on Fridays. And so the accumulated amount of money carried forward, kept mounting. By Friday July 4, for example, the amount had grown to FCFA 90 million. With no staker still able to have the winning numbers in order, the amount moved up to FCFA 132 million for the race of Friday, July 11.
The winner reportedly played the enlarged combination for FCFA 2400 in the Quinté + 4 sur 5 race and got the winning numbers; 6 16 4 2 5, in order. When the said staker came to the PMUC kiosk the next morning, he could not believe his eyes when he saw that he had the winning numbers in order. He had hit the jackpot as he was the only staker in the country who had the winning numbers in order.
PMUC Always Happy To Create Millionaires
At a ceremony, which took later on that July 15 at the PMUC Headquarters for the traditional handing over of the symbolic cheque, the atmosphere was charged with ecstasy. PMUC officials popped some bottles of champagne to the honour of the new multi millionaire.
Speakers at the ceremony included among others the Edea PMUC Agency Manager, Manga, who rejoiced that a staker in his area has joined the club of multi-millionaires being created by PMUC. "Edea stakers are at the summit today. This shows that PMUC stakers at Edea can win millions of FCFA; for several millions have been won and millions will continue to be won".
To the delegation of PMUC management team to the ceremony which was led by the new General Manager, it is always the wish of the citizen’s enterprise (PMUC) to continue to make major contributions in the fight against poverty in the society by creating millionaires.
PMUC management enthused that it is their wish that stakers should win, and especially win big sums of money. The PMUC management expressed the hope that the newly created multi millionaire at Edea will make good use of the money.
Worth noting that two PMUC partners; SGBC and Grand Savoye (insurance company), whose representatives were present at the ceremony, always give expert advice to PMUC millionaires on how to manage the money.
Meanwhile, the new General Manager of PMUC, Jean-Yves Tomi, The Post learnt, was appointed by a Board of Directors meeting which was chaired by the Board Chairman, Giacomoni. Tomi takes over from Jean Dominique Casamarta, who has been transferred to Gabon by the mother company.
Prisoner Petitions Presidency
July 18, 2008
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Kini Nsom
A prisoner at the Bamenda Central Prison recently wrote a petition to the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic, blaming the Bamenda Judicial authorities for depriving him of the right to enjoy Presidential Clemency.
George Fuh Kum, who was sentenced for assault, occasioning death, claimed that the Mezam Judicial authorities deprived him of benefiting from Presidential Decree No 2008/175 of May 20, 2008.
‘I am a convict serving a six-year imprisonment term for ‘assault occasioning death’. I was selected to benefit from the above cited presidential decree by the superintendent of the Bamenda Central Prison’, the convict wrote in a letter to the presidency last week.
According to Fuh Kum, he was surprised that his name was dropped from the list of those to benefit from the Presidential Decree.
He said the judicial authorities later informed him that he would not benefit from the Presidential Decree because he appealed against his sentence. The prisoner denied ‘that I did not appeal against the above imprisonment term and have no appeal against my sentence and no warrant of any further charge against me in my file in the prison records.’
The convict said he got copies of the purported appeal and realised that it has no connection to the criminal case or substantive matter for which he is serving a prison sentence. The man said he does not understand why he was tried and sentenced in Bamenda for a crime that he is said to have committed in Douala. ‘After I had a scuffle on March 7, 2006 with my wife in Douala, she went to Bamenda and died five days later.
I turned up for the funeral and was arrested in Bamenda,’ the convict narrated.
Despite, the prisoner’s arguments, judicial authorities in Bamenda said the convict appealed against his sentence and could not have in any way benefited from presidential clemency.
Tribute to Albert Mukong - the Innocent Prisoner
July 18, 2008
OPINION
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Poubom Lamy Ney
Is there anything or anybody like an innocent prisoner? Albert Mukong has been a live case and example.
The title of his main book summed it all: PRISONER WITHOUT A CRIME. Through him, this phase has grown into a household expression in Cameroon. This book published and reprinted repeatedly did uncover for the first time the nasty life of political detainees in Ahidjo’s political prisons.
There from many ideological prisoners did embark on narrating in book form their "stay with no reason" behind bars. Albert Mukong has largely contributed to what we may call carceral literature: the iron interviewing of people arrested and suspected of charges forced unto them, the faithless investigators fast in building baseless lies against clear consciences in filthy environments, justice delayed to the point of denial. Mukong’s maiden book, like the whole of Mukong’s in itself was an eye opener onto freedom of speech and discussion in Cameroon.
At the hard labour of the rebirth of multiparty politics in Cameroon around the 1990s, Albert Mukong could not fail to sign his heavy presence in spite of his few physical appearances. As usual, he braved all threats to be lodged in jail, counting only on the mastery of his rights. And he was right; for months after his agitation with friends, multipartism wad legalised in Cameroon.
Today, the numerous parties in force in Cameroon should not forget Mukong as a major antecedent to their activities.When Mukong is related to history, the former university physics student he was is in his plate. He kept awake all those who have ears to hear on the state of union in Cameroon. On the issue he committed another full book as a memo for the generations to come and present.
This is his second level of contribution for the knowledge of his country for which he remains a federalist, with abundant reasons.According to the dictionary of names, ALBERT of German or French origin means "noble and bright". His personality is that of "who lives in two worlds". The main characteristics of his character are: emotivity, affectivity and intuition.
Do these features suit the Mukong (gun-powder in his mother tongue) who started as an independentist and ended up as a human right crusader when he noticed that his country was full of human wrongs? So much the better. Albert Mukong’s life was dedicated to attempts to right the wrongs plaguing his society. With no regrets, Mukong passes away poor-in spite of his dues paid him late as court damages and compensations. And still he invested a percentage of it in his human rights association.
In conclusion, Albert Mukong was a patient fighter. Onto him could apply the title of king Njoya’s ecumenical book…TILL WE REACH. He was perseverant, temerary. He was so patient that in spite of himself, he died without witnessing the maturity of the fruits he sowed. He is remembered for his ever presence in all the good national fights. May his soul keep on resting in peace.
Hawkers Threatened As Holidaymakers Invade Sector
July 18, 2008
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Victorine Biy Yongka
Yaounde is witnessing a massive increase in the number of hawkers due to the influx of holiday makers into the city.
This situation is rendering business difficult for full-time hawkers, most of whom find it difficult to realise their usual gains.It is common place that the long vacation comes with numerous activities on the part of holidaymakers. Prominent among these activities is hawking.
In Yaounde, this activity that has been sustaining many households is being threatened by holidaymakers who have come from different parts of the country. Due to stiff competition, some full-time hawkers have had to reconsider their line of business. Many of these vendors complain that what they use to make in terms of profits especially during school time has dropped.
According to Floribert Tagne, a full-time hawker, he used to sell a minimum FCFA 6000 but since the beginning of the 2008 summer holidays, things have never been the same. He says his overall sales per day has dropped to as low as FCFA 3000.
Given the situation at hand, some vendors are even threatening to go on break. To Timothé Ngo, a groundnut hawker, he prefers to go visiting his family during summer. He says most holidaymakers have taken to groundnut selling thus curtailing his profit margin.
Notwithstanding, some of this full- time hawkers say they cannot give up the fight. They maintain that they prefer to gather the little sums than seat to watch these holidaymakers deprive them of their meagre share.
My Father’s Vision for this Country Never Materialised - Mukong’s Son
July 18, 2008
INTERVIEW
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Chris Mbunwe & Peterkins Manyong
June 12, 2008, would be four years since the famous freedom fighter and "Prisoner Without A Crime", Albert Womah Mukong, died.
Recalling the life and legacy of the fallen man, one of his children, Lumumba, says Albert Mukong’s vision for Cameroon never materialised before his death. In this interview in Bamenda on Tuesday, July 8, Lumumba recalls how they grew up with their father always jailed by the successive regimes of President Ahidjo and Biya, his relationship with the SDF, his publications and his vision for Cameroon.
Your father died on July 12, 2004. Before his death, he spent most of his life in jail. In his absence, how were you people brought up?
We grew up in a situation which was very difficult for Cameroon standards because in Cameroon, most people are poor and we were very poor. Though my father was quite often in jail, once in a while, he was allowed to visit us at home. Also, our late mother was a good and responsible woman who tried and educated us. She was Bafaw and we were living in a family compound in Kumba and there was enough food from the farms around.
While we were in primary school, no uncle was there to help us. But when we were in secondary school, one of my father’s friends, Bernard Morfaw, whom I call my uncle, used to help my father pay our school fees. You know every time my father came out of prison, government officers refused awarding him any contract.
People would want to know how your father made children because he was often in prison.
The first three children of my father were delivered before he went to serve the longest prison terms. When my mother died, he got married to my present mother and had the second set of three children before he went back to his home, which is the prison.
Can you recall the longest prison terms he served?
This was from 1970 to 1976. That was what in formed his writing of the book "A Prisoner Without A Crime." He was jailed in Mantoum, Tcholerie etc.
What about his publications?
As I mentioned, you have "A Prisoner without a Crime", "My Struggle With the Southern Cameroons", "My Stewardship" and "Zambo’s Commission." He wrote religious books like "His Encounter With Blessed Virgin Mary."
We hear he was connected to Olumba Olumba?
While in prison, my father had a vision and that vision did not materialise. The vision was that Cameroon must be free from corruption, embezzlement and all ills. He said he had a revelation that somebody from Africa will deliver Cameroon, Africa and the world from all these ills.
So, when he came in contact with Olumba Olumba he embraced that doctrine. He worshipped in Olumba Olumba for a while, and later he realised that it was not yielding anything and he went back to the Catholic Church where he worshipped and died as a Catholic Christian.
Was your father always an agitator? What do you think he was looking for that he never achieved before he died?
My father was not an agitator. He stood firmly for the truth and you know truth is a difficult concept for people to understand. He is one of the founding fathers of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, political party. Though SDF is still the light to Cameroonians, when things were going wrong in the SDF, he never hesitated to point out to them and instead some people who did not want to know the truth misconstrued and took him to be an agitator. My father taught us to speak the truth always.
If your father rises from his grave today, will he be satisfied with what he left behind?
He cannot be absolutely happy. This is because the standards he set and maintained are not what we have today. We are barely struggling to meet up…
Which suggests none of you have been able to fit into your father’s shoes?
Politically, I am a Councillor of the SDF in Tubah Council.
But your father, before he died, reserved very harsh words for Fru Ndi, Yoyo, Mbah Ndam, saying they have derailed from the original goals of that party and are more interested in making money?
My father and Fru Ndi were friends before the SDF was created and before he died they remained friends. The only thing is that my father was always arguing on point of principle. If SDF went wrong, he pointed out objectively. For that, I stand by him till tomorrow.