When CPA
sets trap for Biya
Apologists
of the New Deal regime of President Biya have been beating their chests about
Cameroon’s “diplomatic trophy” in hosting the 60th anniversary of
the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. As patriots, The Guardian Post
cannot resist the temptation to join in the fiesta. But the victory goes beyond
eloquent speeches skewed to favour diplomatic niceties and hospitality.
The
Cameroonian parliamentarians and the head of state who becomes the CPA deputy
patron owe their citizens and guests an obligation to set an example in
respecting human rights, a credible electoral process, separation of powers,
freedom of the press and association and good governance in the post 2015
development agenda.
To what
extent can the host say it has lived up to that billing? Cameroon entered the
Commonwealth in 1995 in very controversial circumstances. Unlike Canada, the
other bilingual country in the “club” whose majority is English speaking, the
Cameroon English component is just some 22 percent in the minority. That
explains why in Cameroon’s parliament of 180 members, only 38 are English
speaking.
Anglophones,
led by the Southern Cameroons National Council, were of the opinion that
Cameroon at the time did not fulfil the conditions to be admitted in the union.
It found gracious defects in the electoral process and separation of
power. Despite the opposition, the Yaounde diplomacy triumphed and some
international reports claimed Cameroon “joined the Commonwealth through the
back door”.
In
responding to the allegation, the Commonwealth said it was better to bring the
country in and cajole it to change than redress the issues when Cameroon was
outside the door.
In
fairness to both the Commonwealth and the Cameroon authorities, change, even if
it is just for its cosmetic flagrance, has been effected in the electoral
process, a joint criminal code and press freedom. But there is still much to be
desired in judicial independence and parliament which is more answerable to
political party hierarchy than to the electorate.
In
opening the conference, President Biya said UN’s adoption of a post-2015
Development Agenda “reflects reckoning with past lapses as well as recognition
of the need for immediate action, with greater determination and greater
commitment in order to secure the future.”
Cameroon
parliamentarians in particular must recognise their “past lapses” and be guided
by their consciences rather than dictates of party leaders. Shouldn’t the
president relinquish his chairmanship of the higher judicial council as
advised by the African Commission so as to give the judiciary a free hand?
President
Biya concedes that there is still much to be done in the Commonwealth and the
world as a whole made a global village, thanks to advancements in communication
and transportation. He said “hunger has not been eradicated, poverty reduction
is extremely slow, unemployment, especially among the youth remains a thorny
problem while health coverage remains inadequate.”
Some of
these tribulations coupled with bad governance are the root causes of “the
persistence of many hotbeds of tension. Several parts of the world continue to
witness political, economic and social crises. Armed clashes abound. There are
repeated and senseless terrorist attacks and acts of maritime piracy which
challenge the international community.”
As a
solution, the president said African countries have prepared a common position
which “proposes the alignment of the Agenda with national and international
development programmes, fully consistent with the African Union’s 2063 Agenda.
This common position also comprises new cooperation thrusts aimed at
eradicating poverty, creating endogenous conditions for economic
transformation, preserving peace and progressing towards prosperity and
sustainable development.”
These are
lofty ideals but they should not end at pretty words. Take the case of the
Millennium Development Goals which the new CPA deputy chair said “raised
new hopes for a world where peace, security and prosperity would be shared at
last.” Launched in 2003 and due to end next year, the president
admitted that it “must be acknowledged, unfortunately, that they will not
be achieved by 2015 as agreed.”
What is
the guarantee that going by the 60th conference theme:
“Repositioning the Commonwealth for the Post-2015 Development Agenda”, success
will be accomplished?
At The
Guardian Post, we think success can only be achieved if each country’s
parliament works to ensure the ideals of the Commonwealth are respected
especially in the separation of power. President Biya as deputy patron
must set an example. He can do that by empowering parliament to set a judiciary
commission which appoints, promotes and punishes erring members of the
judiciary to replace the higher judicial council where he has the minister of
justice as his deputy.
Parliamentarians
should also have judicial commissions to investigate national indignities such
as the infamous Fako land scandals where local government official grab
community land in violation of the law and despite proofs published in the
media, parliament remains mute.
The list
system in electing parliamentarians should also be amended to avoid situations
were unpopular people perch on the lists of credible personalities and are
elected to the House and remain alienated from their constituents.
Would the
Development Agenda, no matter how feasibly on paper it may look, succeed if
corruption is not drastically curbed? How will corruption and the circuit of
impunity be eradicated if Article 66 of the constitution which stipulates that
senior officials should declare their assets when they take office and at the
end is not implemented? Why has the text to make the bill parliament long
passed not been signed to give it enforcement? Shouldn’t the National
Anti-Commission, CONAC, be given the power by parliament to arrest and
prosecute corrupt officials instead of being just a bull dog howling without
teeth?
Those are
some of the issues The Guardian Post urges the President Biya and
parliamentarians to urgently address. As we have had the opportunity to
say before, we congratulate President Biya again for his diplomatic victory to
host the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference and take the chair
of deputy patron. Charity, it is said, begins at home.
So the burden of success in rebranding the 2015 Agenda for Development
is his and that of the Cameroon parliament for other less democratic members to
emulate. Otherwise they will take the blame for failure because the patron who
is “The Queen does no wrong”.
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