BY TAC
Senatorial elections will take place on Sunday, March 12, 2023 all over the national territorial. Going by the list of candidates representing the competing political parties published by the Cameroon Elections Management body,Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, its very much clear that the Cameroon Peoples’ Democratic Movement, CPDM , will be contesting alone in two regions, the South and South West Regions.
In the South West Region Councillors and members of the Regional Council will have no issue in voting the list headed by incumbent Vice President of the Upper House of Parliament, HRM Chief Tabentando. Shortly after the proclamation of the results by the constitutional council as prescribed by the law, the Head of State H.E Paul Biya will put pen on paper and appoint three Senators in each region to make it 10 Senators per Region.
The Constitution of 2 June 1972 as amended by Law No. 96/6 of 18 January 1996 in its section 20(2) stipulates that ” Each region shall be represented in the Senate by 10(ten) Senators of whom 7 ( seven) shall be elected by indirect universal suffrage on a regional basis and 3(three) appointed by the President of the Republic”.
The question now on every body’s lips in Kumba, Chief town of Meme Division of the South West Region of Cameroon is who will the President of the Republic appoint as Senator.
For now, Senator Otte Andrew Mofa, who has been in the Upper House of Parliament since 2014 remains unchallenged and is currently in the lone list of the region headed by HRM Chief Tabentando. Senator Otte Andrew who is from Mbonge has always had as alternate from Kumba urban centre. In 2013 to 2018 his alternate was late Njikam Richard and from 2018 to 2023 he had as his alternate late Mwelle Kunz Mbai. According to the current list of candidates for this year’s Senatorial elections, Senator Otte Andrew’s alternate is Sona Sona Habibullah still from Kumba urban Centre.
During the pioneer legislature of the Senate in 2013, the Head of State bestowed his confidence on late Nfon V.E Mukete, Paramount Ruler of the Bafaws and Nfon of Kumba whose alternate was Chief Justice Benjamin Itoe from Mbonge Sub Division. In 2018 the Head of State still bestowed his confidence on late Nfon V.E Mukete and appointed him.
From this scenario, there’s every indication that Meme Division will always have two Senators one elected and the other appointed.
This time around political observers in Kumba are speculating that the President of the Republic will still appoint somebody from the Kumba Urban centre. The unanswered question now is who will be this lucky man or woman. Kumba Urban Centre is made up of three Sub Divisions Kumba 1-3 made up of the Bafaw’s ,Bakundu’s, Barombi’s and the Balong’s.
Names such as HRH NfonEkoko V Mukete, Paramount Ruler of the Bafaw’s and Nfon of Kumba and that of Prince NdokiMukete, Adviser to the Paramount Ruler and NnokoMbeleCaven are regarded as the possible appointees for Senate.
However other schools of thoughts hold that it will be injustice for the Head of State to appoint them taking into consideration that both are from the Bafawtribe and more over the President of the Regional House BakomaElango is equally of the Bafaw tribe and hails from Kumba. The name of Chief Justice Benjamin ItoeMutanga, of Bombe Bakundu in Mbonge Sub Division has equally been mentioned. He served as alternate member of Senate with Late Nfon V.E Mukete as Substantive member of Senate. Political pundits say since Senator Otte hails from Mbonge Sub Division as well as Chief Justice Benjamin Itoe, his chances are very slim.
Some are of the opinion that the Head of State will appoint somebody from either the Balong or Barombi tribe. There are high hopes that he might appoint the former Mayor of the Kumba III Council under the SDF, HRH Chief John Kona Makia of the Balong tribe in Malende village of Kumba III Sub Division. If the Head of State could appoint a UPC military in Fako as Senator in 2018 he can still appoint an SDF member this time around from Meme, opinion polls say. It’s now left only for the President of the Republic to decide as the lobbying along the corridors of power in Yaounde intensifies.