Cameroon Polls Set to Bolster Biya's 25-year Rule

By Tansa Musa

YAOUNDE, July 19 (Reuters) - Cameroon holds one-sided parliamentary elections on Sunday expected to strengthen President Paul Biya's 25-year grip on power, although his opponents are already saying the vote is rigged.

Biya's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) is seeking to increase its 149 seats in the 180-member parliament, amid opposition claims the president wants a landslide to push through constitutional reforms to allow him a new term.

With many disillusioned Cameroonians convinced the CPDM will romp to victory, campaigning has been low-key in the oil-producing Central African country.

Just 5.5 million of Cameroon's 18 million population have registered to vote -- well below the 8 million voters needed to make the elections credible, diplomats say.

"Whether we vote or not the CPDM will always win!" said 49-year-old Arbold Abena as he heckled a CPDM party activist who was pasting up electoral posters in Yaounde.

"It is only now (at election time) you people acknowledge us. When it is time to eat, we are not there!" he added.

Opposition parties have denounced the multiple registration of voters and the appearance of dead or under-aged voters on the electoral roll, plus the CPDM's monopoly over the state media.

Opinion polls have been banned and the media prohibited from publishing results from individual polling stations. International observers boycotted the polls after the government ignored their calls to create an independent electoral watchdog.

"Do not dream of any transparency or the fact that the election can be free and fair," said local political analyst Shanda Tonme. "What is happening is just a reminder of previous elections since the return of multiparty politics."

LONG-RULING PRESIDENT

Biya, one of Africa's longest serving leaders, took power as the hand-picked successor of ex-President Ahmadou Ahidjo in 1982. He introduced multiparty elections in 1992 and reformed the constitution in 1996 to limit the presidential mandate to a maximum two terms, extending each period to seven years.

With Biya's second term due to expire in 2011, the opposition has said it can not afford to boycott the polls.

"We have learnt that Biya wants to modify the constitution to run for a third term," said John Fru Ndi, chairman of the main opposition SDF party. "This we cannot allow to happen!"

The opposition, however, has denounced the Territorial Administration Ministry's preparations for the elections, saying it has redrawn the electoral map to favour the ruling party and has rejected scores of opposition candidates.

In contrast with previous elections, the streets of Yaounde have remained relatively bare of posters.

Some residents believed a government anti-corruption drive, part of a package of IMF-backed measures to secure debt relief, had curbed funding of publicity for candidates.

"Most of the people who used to sponsor these things for the ruling party are in prison or in detention awaiting their turn," said Dieudonne Mbous, a vendor at the central market in Yaounde.

Comments

[SJ]

Culled from a posting in the SCNC forum:

China currently hosts the second largest number of Cameroonians
outside the entire Americas. But most if not ALL Cameroonians living
in China do white collar jobs such as teaching and are provided with
FREE internet assess. If you go to most online English newspapers
around the globe you would find a Cameroonian commentator. Recently
the Cameroon government through the embassy in Beijing has FRUITFULLY
urged the Chinese government to block prominent opposition websites so
that Cameroonians living in China shouldn't get involved in politics. Amongst these websites are: www.postnewsline.com,
www.southerncameroonsig.org
www.picam.org,
www.dibussi.com.

True or False?

[Bob]

The following website can test web addresses to ascertain whether or not they are blocked by the Chinese govt.:
http://greatfirewallofchina.org/
If what it claims is true, certainly, this blog cannot be seen in China.

[Julius]

Well, I tested this site and that of the official government daily Cameroon-Tribune and both were blocked. So this cannot possibly the work of the government of Cameroon...

[Jimmy]

Olusegun Obasanjo, a flawed by infinitely more caring and conscientious president than Biya tried to do this same thing of toying with the constitution to extend his rule. The outcry was so adamant and uncompromising that Mr Obasanjo backed down. I hope, wish and pray that Mr Biya meets an ignominous end during the course of his disgraceful clinging to power. Arrogant idiot.

[akamembulle solomon]

Why should Biya not seek for another mandate if the advocates for democracy who are supposed to show an example for others to emulate refuses to cede their powers to others such as Fru Ndi, Bouba Bello, Ndam Njoya, Ekindi etc.Same names,same faces,same people every year.
Thanks to the patience and acceptance of election results by Cameronians for the sake of peace.
The so call the international observers who spark up conflicts in other coutries to sell their arms should know that there is no absolute democracy no where in the world that is why even US presidentials electins were contested.
CNU is no more,CPDM will also move out of the map one day.People come and go.Political parties crumble but the state
remains.Maybe the future generation will have a better story to tell.
God bless my belove Country Cameroon,
From Akamembulle Solo (Cape Town)

[aregog]

i really frawn at the biya,s regime because,i had to to leave 4 china bc of no job opportunity in my country.graduated as a gov.t trained nurse but iam presently a teacher in china.i know ,that justice must prevail one day on the biya,s regime.AND remember,no respects 4 cameroonians here and no backups.i tell u even our embassy here is a mess.too bad.thanks.