Party of longtime Cameroon ruler Paul Biya wins landslide in maiden Senate vote

DOUALA, Cameroon [AP}— The party of Cameroon’s entrenched ruler Paul Biya won 56 of the 70 contested seats in the nation’s first-ever senatorial election, the Supreme Court announced.

Supreme Court President Alexis Dipanda Mouelle said Monday that Biya’s Cameroon Peoples’ Democratic Party scored 73 percent of the vote, winning seats in eight of the country’s 10 administrative regions. The opposition Social Democratic Front received 17 percent, with 14 seats in just two regions. The opposition claimed vote-rigging but international observers said instances of vote-buying and intimidation were too few to change the overall outcome of the ballot.

According to the constitution, the 80-year-old Biya, in power since 1982, gets to appoint the remaining 30 members of the legislative body, ensuring total control of the newly-created 100-seat Senate.

Its creation was mandated by the 1996 constitution but was put off for 17 years, with the ruling party citing lack of funding and other reasons. The constitution stipulates that in the event of a vacancy at the helm of the state, the leader of the Senate will run the nation for a period of 40 days before new elections. The head of the Senate will be elected by majority vote during their first plenary session next month.

In recent years, Biya changed the constitution to allow himself to run for life. He most recently won re-election in a poll that was widely criticized in 2011, and has indicated that he plans to run again in 2018, when he’ll be 86. It’s raised fears of instability among the international investors who have flocked to Cameroon to get a piece of the country’s petroleum riches. Neighboring nations where longtime rulers died in office have spiraled into violence, including in Guinea where the death of dictator Lansana Conte in 2008 was immediately followed by a military coup.

Critics say the new Senate simply perpetuates Biya’s grip on power: His party already accounts for 153 of the 180 members in the National Assembly.

Observers from the African Union acknowledged that vote-buying had occurred, though they said that the instances did not impact the outcome of the April 14 poll.

“We think that on the whole, the elections unfolded hitch-free. Of course there were cases of vote-buying and intimidation, but these were too isolated to have an impact on the overall results,” Edem Kodjo, head of an African Union observation mission, said soon after the poll.
Despite the limited representation by the opposition, the creation of the Senate was applauded as a step forward.

“We should be happy after 17 years of grumbling by the opposition, that the Senate is finally in place. It may be good or bad, but it is there and it is now left for us to work towards changing its make-up,” said Jean De Dieu Momo, leader of the opposition Party for Democracy and Development of Cameroon.

Ni John Fru Ndi, leader of the Social Democratic Front and Biya’s most significant rival, issued a statement saying: “Though the elections were choked with fraud ... setting up the Senate is a sign of progress for Cameroon’s democracy” - Associated Press

Paul Elung Che Bounces Back: Now General Manager of Cameroon’s Petroleum Fund

Paul Elung Che

     By Christopher Ambe

    Paul Elung Che, 45, a stringent financial expert and a noted advocate of transparency, has been appointed as the new General Manager of Cameroon's Hydrocarbons Prices Stabilization Fund (CSPH).

   Mr.Elung Che bounces back to top managerial position several years after he occupied the prestigious post of Director-General of Treasury, Financial cooperation and Monetary Affairs, in the Ministry of Finance

   President Biya, April 26, appointed Mr.Elung Che in replacement of Ibrahim Talba Malla who occupied the post for over a decade until last February 15 when the latter became General Manager of Cameroon Oil Refining Company (SONARA)

   Before his recent appointment at CSPH, Mr.Elung  Che had occupied other very sensitive posts: he had been Treasurer/paymaster-General for the Northwest Region and later occupied the same position in the Southwest Region for over six years.

   This workaholic was promoted from treasurer/paymaster-General in the Southwest, to become the National Director of Treasury in Yaoundé for over two years.

   Mr. Elung Che’s efficiency and stringency in dealing with financial matters further caused him to be promoted to the rank of Pioneer Director-General (DG) of Treasury, Financial cooperation and Monetary Affairs.

    A committed Mr.Elung Che was  then replaced as Director-General of Treasury while he was on an official mission in Canada.

   His removal angered the Anglophone community- because many people were already hoping that, he would become the First Anglophone Minister of Finance. After his removal as DG of Treasury, Financial Cooperation and Monetary Affairs, Mr.Elung  Che was still serving  in the Ministry of Finance and remained a reference point for many workers.

   His quest for more knowledge took him to Harvard University, in the USA, where he further bagged a Masters degree in public  administration.

    After his first degree from the University of Yaounde, Mr. Elung  Che enrolled into ENAM Yaounde -graduating two years after as Inspector of Treasury. He also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD) in law. He is a Christian, married and  has children.

France and Cameroon Paid Boko Haram $3.15 million To Free French Hostages – Report

Members of fundamentalist sect Boko Haram were paid an equivalent of around $3.15 million by French and Cameroonian negotiators before freeing seven French hostages this month, a confidential Nigerian government report obtained by Reuters said.

   The memo does not say who paid the ransom for the family of seven, who were all released on April 19, although it says Cameroon freed some Boko Haram detainees as part of the deal.

   France and Cameroon reiterated denials that any ransom was paid. Nigerian authorities declined to comment.

   Armed men on motorcycles snatched Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, his wife, brother and the couple’s four young children, the youngest of whom was four years old, on February 19 while they were on holiday near the Waza national park in north Cameroon, some 10 km (six miles) from the Nigerian border. They were believed to have been held in northeast Nigeria.

   Boko Haram claimed the capture of the family of Moulin-Fournier, who worked in Cameroon for French utility firm GDF Suez.

French President Francois Hollande at the time denied any money was paid when the family was released on April 19.

   The Nigerian report suggests that 1.6 billion CFA francs ($3.15 million) was paid, but that right up until the last minute Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau had insisted on double that, before agreeing to reduce it if some Boko Haram members in Cameroonian jails were freed.

   Reacting to the report, a French foreign ministry official said that France has passed a clear message that it does not pay ransoms. Cameroon government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary said “Cameroon did not pay any ransom”.

 A spokesman for Nigeria’s government declined to comment.

   The report suggests Nigerian security forces decided not to try to rescue the hostages so as not to endanger their lives. A botched rescue attempt of a British and an Italian hostage believed to have been held by Islamist sect Ansaru in March last year resulted in both hostages being killed.

    French news network i-tele reported earlier on Friday that a ransom had of $7 million had been paid, suggesting either Cameroon President Paul Biya or GDF-Suez had paid it.

Eight French hostages are being held in the Sahel region, although the fate of one of them is unclear after al-Qaeda’s north African arm last month said it had beheaded Philippe Verdon.

   Hollande has said Paris has ended a policy of paying ransoms for hostages, but suspicion that the country still does despite official denials has been a source of tension with the United States.

  France brushed off an allegation by a former U.S. diplomat that it paid a $17 million ransom in vain for the release of four hostages abducted in 2010 from Niger.

  Hollande told the family of the Sahel hostages in January that the new policy also meant that he had told companies and insurance firms to not pay ransoms

(Source:Channels Television http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/04/27/france-and-cameroon-paid-boko-haram-3-15-million-to-free-french-hostage)

Cameroon: Ex-SONARA General Manager Charles Metouck Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison

By Christopher Ambe 

Charles Metouck

 Charles Metouck, ex- General Manager of Cameroon Oil Refining Company (SONARA) was Wednesday April 24 sentenced to 9 years in prison  after he was found guilty of several charges that included the destruction of public records, forgery, tress pass and the usurpation of the office of his successor

 Mr. Metouck was sentenced by the Limbe Magistrate's Court with two accomplices: SONARA’s Judicial Affairs Director, Jean Jules Edinguelle who was slammed 9 years, 5 months in prison and the company’s Commercial Manager, Ngalle Noel, who was slammed one year in prison. Both Metouck and Edinguelle will each pay a fine of 2.2 million FCFA

   They would serve their jail terms at the Buea Central prison.

  Defense lawyers have to up ten days to file an appeal against the verdict, if they so deem necessary.
   After Mr. Metouck’s replacement as General Manager of SONARA on February 15, 2013 by Ibrahim Talba Malla, the former on February 18,2013 “sneaked” into his former office in the absence of his successor and was destroying sensitive documents, which prompted his arrest and detention, along with others.

  Until his appointment as General Manager of SONARA, Mr. Ibrahim Talba Mala was the General Manager of the Hydrocarbons Price Stabilization Fund (CSPH)

It is worthy of note that Mr. Metouck was GM of SONARA since 2002

   Mr. Metouck’s  has been slammed a 9- year jail term  just weeks after the national audit commission  indicted him for causing  SONARA to lose 26 billion FCFA while he was General manager. 
He was accused of causing SONARA to lose 26 billions FCFA when he was already on trial on the matter for which he has just been slammed a 9 –year prison term.

CEREDDA Hails Conduct of Cameroon’s First Senatorial Elections

             Following is a Press Release issued by the CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (CEREDDA),Buea-Cameroon after observing Cameroon’s pioneer senatorial Election:

PRESS RELEASE

“Within the framework of ensuring democratic and transparent elections in Africa, and the progressive putting in place of the institution of Cameroon's 1996 constitution, the CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (CEREDDA) deployed a dozen observers to cover the first senatorial elections in Cameroon on the 14th April 2013 amongst other national and international observers and media organizations.

    The CEREDDA observers who were deployed to all the divisions of the Northwest and South west regions verified the voting process from start to finish in most of the polling stations and while awaiting subsequent reports on the entire process, arrived at the preliminary conclusions that the elections were free, democratic and transparent.

1. Voters made their choices in all freedom, maturity and out of their consciences.

2. The prevailing atmosphere in the polling stations was cordial and peaceful.

3. There was a very high participation in the election, which included proxy voters.

4. Voting was orderly and in conformity with the provisions governing senatorial elections in Cameroon.

5.Voting finished by  2:00 Pm  most of the polling stations though most had to wait until 6:00 pm  count the votes as provided by the law except in a few cases were there was early counting, which invariably influenced voters in other parts of the country.

   While awaiting the proclamation of the results by the competent authorities, CEREDDA will like to use this opportunity to congratulate ELECAM for its successful organization of the election.

   CEREDDA equally congratulates the other stakeholders in the elections, notably political parties, the Administration, the security officials, other observers and the Media organs for their maturity and professionalism.

   CEREDDA hopes that the difficulties and irregularities it might eventually highlight in its detailed reports will contribute to improving the electoral process in Cameroon.

The Administrative Officer, CEREDDA

Mr.Ngeke Ngomba

Buea, April 22, 2013

Contact: Tel: 00237 99 09 60 85

                    00237 77 24 60 07

Email: cereddab@yahoo.com

French hostage family released in Cameroon

Tanguy Moulin-Fournier (left), wife Albane and his brother Cyril pose at the French embassy in Yaounde on April 19, 2013 (AFP, Reinnier Kaze)

YAOUNDE, Cameroon [AFP] — A French family of seven abducted by Islamic extremists while holidaying in Cameroon have been freed after two months in captivity, officials said Friday.

     The hostages -- a father, mother, four children aged 5 to 12, and an uncle -- were all in good health, the French presidency said, adding that Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was on his way to the central African state to greet the family.

     The Cameroonian president said in a statement read on national radio that the hostages -- who were seized by six gunmen on February 19 and taken to neighbouring Nigeria -- had been "handed over last night to Cameroonian authorities".

He did not say how they were freed but he thanked the governments of Nigeria and France.

     The French foreign minister said they were freed overnight on Thursday to Friday "in an area between Nigeria and Cameroon".

"I spoke to the family on the phone. They are extremely happy and in good shape," Fabius told AFP.

   The family were seen arriving Friday at the French embassy in Yaounde, the Cameroonian capital.

French President Francois Hollande insisted after their release that France had not paid any ransom.

    They had been held by Islamist sect Boko Haram -- which is blamed for killing thousands of people in an insurgency in northern Nigeria since 2009.

    Their abduction came just as France was deploying thousands of troops to fight Islamic extremists in Mali, another former French colony in the region.

Eight other French citizens are being held hostage in the Sahel region south of the Sahara, according to Hollande.

A video grab made on March 21, 2013 shows the French family abducted in Cameroon (AFP, Boko Haram)

    A video surfaced last month in which the father of the abducted family, Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, seemingly asked President Biya to free detained members of the Al-Qaeda-linked Boko Haram group.

    The family, who were based in Cameroon, were visiting the Waza National Park when they were kidnapped.

    They were identified as Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, who worked for the French gas group GDF Suez in Yaounde, his wife Albane, and their four sons, Eloi, Andeol, Mael and Clarence.

      Tanguy's brother Cyril Moulin-Fournier was on vacation and with them at the time. The three adults are all around 40 years old.

The family, with the exception of the uncle, moved to Yaounde in 2011 when the father began a job there overseeing the construction of a liquid natural gas plant. The uncle lives in Barcelona, Spain.

      Boko Haram has in the past called for the creation of an Islamic state in Nigeria, where corruption is deeply rooted and most of the population lives on less than $2 per day despite its vast oil reserves.

    The Boko Haram insurgency is estimated to have left more than 3,000 people dead since 2009, including many killings in operations by the security services.

     The group is believed to be made up of many different factions. Analysts say some members are likely hardcore Islamists who would resist any concession to Nigeria's secular government.

   Other members are thought to be northern youths who have been radicalised out of frustration at massive government corruption.

    Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan recently instructed his security advisors to look at whether an amnesty could help curb the Boko Haram insurgency -AFP

Cameroon:Security Agents hunt fleeing SCNC activists in Lewoh

By  Nke  Atabong

Several SCNC youth who were meeting in Lewoh in Lebialem division, Southwest of Cameroon, in the afternoon of April 13, 2013 escaped when armed troops stormed the village looking for their whereabouts. Three of the activists were said to have been arrested.

 According to reports, the activists were meeting  on that fateful  day to strategize  how to get many more Lewoh youth  to join the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC), which is championing the restoration of the Independence of  Anglophone Cameroon.

 Those arrested included Atehkeng Zinkeng, one of the organizers of the meeting.

 The security operatives reportedly confiscated a huge bag of SCNC t-shirts and pro-scnc literature, which were intended for distribution.

It is no secret that supporters of the outlawed SCNC are molested, harassed, arrested, tortured and prosecuted.  But the groups’ leadership has vowed that they would stay the course until their goal is attained.

The SCNC came into existence in 1994 as a culmination of growing anger against Anglophone marginalization. On December 30, 1999, the SCNC even seized a local government radio station (CRTV Buea) and for three hours proclaimed the Independence of Southern Cameroons. Since then Government of Cameroon  has intensified its crackdown of SCNC activists, with many fleeing into hiding.

 

Cameroon’s Pioneer Senatorial Poll Takes Place Hitch-free

   By Christopher Ambe

 Cameroon’s first ever senatorial election, Sunday April 14, took place in an atmosphere of peace and serenity, and has been generally described by both international and local observers as free and fair.

 

The official proclamation of Sunday’s senatorial election results by the Supreme Court(sitting in for the Constitutional Council yet to go operational ) is expected in two weeks ,although it is everybody’s guess that, the ruling CPDM, which had the majority of electors will win  

About ten thousand municipal councilors constituted the Electoral College, with reports saying that 98% of them actually voted.

Senate, an upper house of Cameroon’s Parliament, is provided for by the country’s 1996 Constitution. But it took the Biya’s government 17 years to convene the first senatorial polls in spite of the importance of this institution. 

According to Cameroon constitution, when the office of the President of the Republic becomes vacant, the head of the Senate shall as of right act as interim president, until a new president of the Republic is elected.

Only four political parties (CPDM, SDF, UDC and NUDP out of Cameroon’s over 200 political parties participated in the 100-member house senatorial poll. The election was to have 70 senators while President Biya, according to law, will single-handed, appoint the remaining 30 to the 100-member Senate. 

The National Assembly, the other house of Parliament, has 180 members.

Senators shall serve a term of five (5) years. Each of Cameroon’s ten regions shall be represented in Senate by 10 senators of whom Seven (7) are elected and three (3) appointed by the President of the Republic

The senatorial election is the second organized by ELECAM,Cameroon’s election management body, after the 2011 Presidential that saw decades-serving President Biya reelected.

After the proclamation of the senatorial election results, ELECAM shall proceed with the distribution of voter cards for the coming municipal and parliamentary polls bill also billed for this year.