CI-NEWS

Biya should postpone the elections in the Anglophone regions until he has put in place the necessary

2019-12-24

No: 462

Biya should postpone the elections in the Anglophone regions until he has put in place the necessary peace – Hon. Fobi Nchinda Simon.

It is practically impossible to hold elections in the strife-torn Anglophone regions where there is a reign of terror inflicted on the population by both pro-government forces and Ambazonian fighters. That is why Hon. Fobi Nchinda Simon, SDF MP for Bamenda and Bali, is calling on President Biya to postpone the elections in the Anglophone regions until he has put in place the necessary peace. In this interview he begins by assessing the bill just adopted by Parliament granting Anglophone regions a special status. Excerpts:

The truth of the matter is that I am rather disappointed. We were called here on the basis of follow-up of the Major National Dialogue that had prescribed certain issues concerning Anglophones. We found out that not only was the dialogue not definitive in exactly what we were asking from Mr Biya. From the dialogue we gave a list of wishes from the Anglophones. There was no accord as to what came out of that dialogue. He had to choose what he had to apply and when he would apply it. So we came into this extraordinary session hoping that he would take some major decisions on these Anglophone issues. I am deeply disappointed that the Special Status for Anglophones we expected to have did not come. The law on decentralisation is actually silent on the Anglophone space. The Anglophones want a space where they can be in the republic. That law is silent on it. It is silent on the judiciary. We would have expected a judiciary space all the way up to the Supreme Court. The law is also silent on the ability to legislate at the regional level. What they are doing are deliberations. So I came out of the extraordinary session very disappointed.

But what were some of the redeeming features of that bill concerning the Special Status?

As far as the eight regions are concerned, I think Mr Biya gave them something we consider a step forward but as far as the two Anglophone regions are concerned, I considered it no movement at all. The other regions now begin to have a certain amount of regional deliberation that they never had before but don’t forget that Anglophones ran a state before. You cannot compare the two.

What are your comments on the House of Chiefs that has been granted?

What powers does it have? Again, it is a deliberative rather than a legislative organ that has been granted. That is a shame. We are used to having a legislative organ. And then what is worse when you finish with deliberations you have to subject it to a government representative, a representative of the state who is going to be appointed by Mr Biya. That is not where Anglophones are coming from.

How prepared are you for the February 9 2020 election campaigns?

Before talking about campaigns, let’s talk about the country. Is it ready for elections? I say no. The Anglophone regions as you know are at war. As I talk to you, one of my mayors and assistant have been kidnapped. I have six members from my constituency who have been kidnapped. They were kidnapped for the simple reason that they are on the electoral register. The message we are getting from Amba is we will keep kidnapping you and at worse block you from going for elections. The country is not ready for elections. We are asking Mr Biya to postpone the elections in the Anglophone regions until he has put the necessary peace in place.

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Biya should postpone the elections in the Anglophone regions until he has put in place the necessary