By Doh James Sonkey
Self-proclaimed winner of last October 7, presidential election in Cameroon, Prof Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, CRM party has been warned that he and his supporters will have to face military retaliation should they dare to defy public order.
The warning came from two fronts: the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM party of incumbent, Paul Biya and the government represented by its spokesman, Issa Tchiroma Bakery. It came barely few hours after Maurice Kamto in a press conference declared himself winner of the presidential election.
Maurice Kamto after the declaration called on his supporters to be ready to defend his victory if he is not officially proclaimed winner by the Constitutional Council.
In a press briefing granted last October 8, 2018 at the Yaoundé Hilton Hotel, the Secretary General of the CPDM Central Committee, Jean Nkuete advised Cameroonians not to heed to Kamto’s call and to remain patriotic and republican.
officials and political allies
Saluting their allies and other Cameroonians for their votes last October 7, 2018 and support to their candidate, Paul Biya, the Secretary General of the CPDM Central Committee unmasked that “such candidates who auto-proclaim themselves as victors do that to cause an uprising of the population to defend an imaginary victory, create an atmosphere of tension, insecurity and violence in Cameroon.”
The CPDM party expressed surprise, indignation and worry over what they described as political immaturity demonstrated by Maurice Kamto.
Jean Nkuete stressed that “We invite all our compatriots to remain serene while waiting for the official proclamation of results by the Constitutional Council latest October 22 as stipulated by the law,” and called on them to refrain from any act of provocation and desist from any acts that can compromise peace and set the country ablaze.
After the CPDM briefing, President Biya’s ally of the Cameroon National Salvation Front party and Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary retained journalists to pass across government’s warning. He declared that “unless Kamto is guided by mystical powers, I do not understand how a candidate can make such inflammatory and anti-constitutional declaration.”
Tchiroma warned that government has taken serious measures to face anybody who will want to defy public order.
“Kamto is of bad faith especially as he knows that he is a bad looser of the October 7 presidential election in Cameroon,” declared Tchiroma.
According to Serge Espoir Matomba of the PURS political party, in a press conference on October 9 said
“The figures circulating on social media do not correspond to the figures in our possession. We note that there has been some falsification. However, we still await the official proclamation of the results before starting litigation. No vote will be stolen and we will go to the end”.