Dibussi Tande: Scribbles from the Den

Memory Lane: US Diplomatic Activism in Cameroon’s Democratization Process

Dibussi Tande

"Cameroonians have every right – and I have often heard them exercise that right – to urge the government of the United States to pursue sounder economic policies, to improve our still imperfect race relations or to make greater efforts to achieve social justice. Conversely, we Americans have every right to urge the Government of Cameroon to pursue democratization and respect human rights, and to criticize it when it fails to do so…"
Frances Cook, former US Ambassador to Cameroon - December 24, 1992

The recent verbal jousting between the Biya regime and three diplomatic missions in Cameroon (the US, UK and the Netherlands) over the July 22 elections is a throwback to the early 1990s when Western nations, led by the United States, took the Biya regime to task for  its underhanded attempts at hijacking the democratization process in Cameroon.

2007 Elections: War of Words between the Biya Regime and Diplomatic Missions

On August 16, 2007, the embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, of the United States of America and the High Commission of Great Britain and Northern Ireland issued a joint communiqué on the legislative and municipal elections of July 22, 2007. While congratulating the people and government of Cameroon for the generally peaceful and orderly elections, they insisted that:

"On the whole, however, these elections represent a missed opportunity for Cameroon – a missed opportunity to continue building public confidence in the democratic process as Cameroon looks ahead to its next election.  Some recommended improvements growing out of previous elections – improvements that were not just achievable but that the government had committed itself to achieving – were in fact not achieved." 

Summit Magazine Becomes the Magazine to Beat with its Second Issue

After its much publicized and widely-acclaimed maiden issue a couple of months ago, Summit Magazine has confirmed that it is a force to reckon with on the Cameroonian media landscape with its second issue. Unlike the maiden issue which focused exclusively on people, the second issue diversifies considerably with articles on tourist attractions such as village of Bakingili at the foot of Mount Fako and the legendary Menchum falls. It has also a health column written by renowned cardiologist Dr. WallyMuna,and a literary page with a review of Chimamannda Ngozi Adichie's award-winning Half of a Yellow Sun.

Individuals profiled in this issue include CRTV's Adele Mballa Atangana and Louise Mbango of Kappo & Lady B fame, and popular crooner Ottou Marcelin among others.

50 Factoids about Sub-Saharan Africa

1. The country with the highest GNI per capita for 2004 is Seychelles (US$8,190). It is followed by Mauritius (US$4,640), Botswana (US$4,360), Gabon (US$4,080), and South Africa (US$3,630).
2. The biggest economy is South Africa, with a real GDP of US$152.3 billion (2004). The second largest economy, Nigeria, has a GDP of US$51.7 billion.
3. The smallest economy reported on in the ADI is Sao Tome and Principe, with a real GDP of US$54 million (2004).
4. The country with the largest Agriculture value added is Central African Republic (57.0 percent of GDP) while the least is Botswana at 2.3 percent of GDP (2004).
5. The country with the largest population is Nige ria , with 128.7 million people. It is followed by Ethiopia, with 70.0 million people, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 55.9 million people.

2007 Legislative Elections - Some Facts and Figures

"...we did our job to make sure that things move on smoothly before, during and after the elections... What shocks me is the fact that many of those who are involved in fraud andelection malpractices are senior elders and Christians in our Churches. Barrister Nico Halle, Coordinator of the National Elections Observatory(NEO) for the Northwest Province

• The official voter participation rate for the 2007 legislative election was 62%
• The highest participation rate was in the Upper Sanaga with 94,63%, and the lowest, Wouri-East with 28.24%.
• The new parliament will be composed of at least 5 political parties will (while waiting for election reruns) - the CPDM, SDF, UDC, UNDP, and MP.
• The CPDM is the leading political force with at least 140 MPs against 149 in 2002, followed by the SDF with 14 against 22 in 2002; the UDC 4 against 5 in 2002; the UNDP 4 against 1 in 2002; and the MP which is making its maiden entrance into parliament (pending reruns).

Supreme Court Cancels Elections in Five Constituencies

Culled from The Sun
 
The Supreme Court of Cameroon sitting for the Constitutional Council has cancelled the legislative elections in five constituencies. In effect voters in Wouri East cmprising Douala III and V, and Moungo South in the Littoral Province, Nyong and Kelle of the Centre, Upper Nkam in the West Province and Mayo Tsanaga in the Far North will go back to the polls not later than 60 days from August 8 when the cancellations were announced.The five constituencies put together carry 17 parliamentary seats.

July 22 Elections: Cameroon Bishops Speak Out

Communiqué of the National Episcopal Conference on the July 22 elections in Cameroon

The National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon has remarked that the twin July 22 municipal and legislative elections in Cameroon were organised in peace and tranquility. Despite the fact that the orgnisation was  better as opposed to the elections in 2002 and 2004, the Bishops emphasized that Cameroon's democratic process still has a long way to go.They also pinpointed some cases of electoral fraud and suggested possibilites of moving the democratic process forward.

George Ayittey: Cheetahs vs. Hippos for Africa's Future

"This grab-you-by-the-throat speech by Ghanaian economist George Ayittey unleashes an almost breathtaking torrent of controlled anger toward corrupt leaders and the complacency that allows them to thrive. These "Hippos" (lazy, slow, ornery) have ruined postcolonial Africa, he says. Why, then, does he remain optimistic? Because of the young, agile "Cheetah Generation," a "new breed of Africans" taking their futures into their own hands."

Francis Nyamnjoh Returns With "Stories From Abakwa"

Francis Nyamnjoh. Stories From Abakwa. Bamenda: Cameroon. Langaa Publishers. 2007. [$19.95 (US), £14.95 (UK), CDN$ 21.14 (Canada) and EUR 17,94 (Europe)]

Barely one year after he published the highly-acclaimed A Nose for Money, which I reviewed here, Francis Nyamnjoh is back with his fourth work of fiction titled Stories from Abakwa. Although the collection of short stories has been on the market for only three weeks, it is already available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon.com.

Stories from Abakwa, is published by the Bamenda-based Langaa Publishers, the only Cameroonian publishing outfit with a viable international distribution strategy and network. Stories from Abakwa is distributed in the United States by Michigan State University Press (MSUP), and in Europe and the rest of the world by African Books Collective.