By Noela EBOB BISONG
The Speaker of Cameroon’s Lower House of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Cavaye Yéguié Djibril has strongly warned against any pre-meditated post-presidential election crisis in the country. Cavaye was stern as he opened the second ordinary session of the National Assembly, last June 11, in Yaounde.
With 2025 being an election loaded year, (Municipal/Legislative and Presidential elections), the Speaker refers to the supposed architects of the presumed future crisis as “owls”, maintaining that their supposed plans are nothing but an expression of weakness.
“Already, compatriots, should I say struck by a certain political myopia or quite simply driven by their thirst for power, already, I said, certain compatriots promise post-electoral violence, even chaos in the event of victory of an opposing camp. Is this democracy?”, Cavaye questioned.
He continued in his address that “To these “ominous owls”, the President of the National Assembly reminds that “their current posture is only an admission of their weakness, of the absence of a profitable strategy on their part, because they have nothing of value to offer to Cameroonians,”.
The House Speaker while addressing Members of the National Assembly also appealed on citizens to be responsible and allow ELECAM carry out its missions as stated by the law.
This was in the presence of members of government, led by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Joseph Dion Ngute, amongst other personalities. While urging his compatriots to “remain calm and vigilant”, the Speaker averred that, “Cameroonians have ceased to be fooled. They have acquired the necessary maturity which now allows them to distinguish the wheat from the chaff.”
Though not naming the said “owls”, popular opinion relates the warning to Pr. Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, better known in French as (MRC).
Pr. Kamto had during a press briefing in Yaoundé last May 10, maintained that the government of President Biya was preparing an “electoral and military coup”, and thus revealed that an unrest during the next presidential election was a factor under consideration.
“I say and I repeat, go and register massively on the electoral lists to go to the elections in the peace. But if people want the country to fall into violence, then it will fall into violence”, Kamto had stated.
Other matters
Cavaye Yeguie Djibril during his address also congratulated the Ministries of Basic and Secondary Education for the successful organisation of end of year official examinations for both the English and French systems of education in the country.
Another aspect highlighted by the lawmaker in his opening statement is the ongoing implementation of the first phase of the Universal Health Coverage policy for children between zero and five years and pregnant mothers. Presenting statistics obtained thus far, he appreciated the process, noting that it will greatly help in the development process of the country.
In a chat with reporters, CPDM MP from Akwaya Constituency in the South West region, Hon. Aka Martin Tyoga talking about his Constituency reacted that “you know that the last resistance are always very difficult to handle as peace is gradually returning to Akwaya especially as people are returning from Nigeria. But there are still pockets of resistance you can imagine like that of last May 16, 2024 where there was an ambush which killed the commander and his assistant in Akwaya town. So we call on the population to remain vigilant and resilient.”
CPDM MP for Santa Constituency in the North West region, Hon. Kumase Simon said “the House Speaker said it all, touching nearly all the angles and we are expecting that people should just be patient on our deliberations here in Parliament. We are talking about budget orientation this time and I will be part of it and I will make sure that the demands of people in my constituency are met. We are going to talk more of our roads especially as the President of the Republic; H.E Paul Biya has spoken about it.”