SDF heats up ahead of nation-wide re-organisation
– NEC team leader for Southwest, Sen. Kinyang George rejects expulsion of former
Tiko mayor, Chief Moukondo Daniel from party
BY MAMBE NJIKOFORE MANDE
There has been a re-ignition of steam in the opposition SDF party since the National Executive Committee, NEC, last year ordered nationwide re-organisation of the party and appointed teams to all 10 regions of the country with the South-west team led by Senator Barrister Kinyang George.
The party which is still licking its wounds from the 2018 and 2020 disastrous presidential and legislative and municipal elections respectively is experiencing some regain of life. This buzz of a new life is more about infighting among militants instead of a serious introspection and to bring everyone on board.
In the Tiko Electoral District there is the contentious issue of the slamming of article 8.2 on the former mayor, Moukondo Daniel Ngande. This has however brought out some heat between the NEC team, led by Sen. Kinyang and the Regional Coordinator, Likiye George.
Speaking to The SUN on phone, the Senator said due to the re-organisation exercise all disciplinary files were supposed to be put on hold and that for now the party is working hard on reconciliation and bringing all militants on board.
Enter Hon. Osih
On March 4, 2022 a release signed by the 1st vice national chairman of the SDF, Hon Joshua Osih stated that after discussing with both parties and following the chairman’s instructions Ref:109/SD/SDF.NS/0218/2021 OF 30TH OCTOBER 2021, he mentioned that “While congratulating the regional coordinator for taking the bull by the horns in launching the reorganisation, I would like to mention that the role of the NEC team for the reorganisation of the Southwest cannot and should not be discounted although it arrived late and so an agreement should have been met in order to schedule a meeting that will provide the basis for an inclusive, fair, effective and efficient reorganisation and renewal of our dear party in the Southwest region.”
South West SDF Regional Coordinator
He went ahead to call the two teams to order, instructing them to agree on a date together or risk the consequences “Considering the powers conferred to me by the National Chairman, I herewith order the meeting initially scheduled to be held on the 5th of March in Buea to be rescheduled to a later date agreed by both the NEC and the Regional coordinator on or before Sunday the 13th of March in Buea.”
Highlighting that the date must be decided on before March 9, 2022 at 12h00, “failure to do so, a date will be imposed by hierarchy with the consequences that might eventually follow”, Hon Osih warned
In response, in another signed release dated March 5, 2022, by Senator Kinyang George, he blames the failure of the meeting scheduled in Buea on the same day on the South-west regional coordinator, he states “The written instructions of the SW Coordinator to the Divisional Officer of Buea not to grant authorisation for the holding of an ‘illegal’ meeting in Buea on 05/03/2022 by the NEC commission for the reorganisation of the SW. This is what the Divisional Officer for Buea told me and advised that we settle first the local problems of the party”, he complained.
“Mr Likiye is determined to pursue the execution of his parallel and illegal reorganisation program starting with Tiko electoral district.” Senator Kinyang continued.
He concluded that “Considering the fact that The Senate has been convened for Friday, March 11, 2022, my commission after due consultation of the South-west local leaders of our party has rescheduled a reorganisation meeting in Buea on Saturday, March 12, 2022 at Midday in Marithon Hotel
This release comes a day after the letter by the first national vice president for SDF, Hon Joshua Osih Nambangi who Sen. Kinyang believes is supporting the actions of the regional coordinator as seen in his March 4 letter, “This illegality and violation of the NEC resolution has been endorsed by the 1st Vice Chairman in his correspondence of 04/03/2022.” The Senator complained.
Meanwhile, Moukondo Daniel Ngande was excluded from the SDF by the Tiko Electoral District on February 13, 2022 for his actions before, during and after the February 2020 elections, which are considered very undefendable. According to reports, former mayor, Chief Moukondo Daniel openly campaigned for the CPDM during the February 9 municipal and legislative elections. It should be noted that the former mayor’s name didn’t feature on the SDF Tiko list for the municipal elections. The SDF lost the election by about 100 votes.
However, the former mayor has appealed to the NEC through the national secretary general against the Tiko Electoral district committee disciplinary decision to “expel” him from SDF party activities. In his release, he claims “I do not have the capacity to prepare a parallel list of SDF candidates list for adult militants on the Tiko Electoral District, for I was not a member of the investiture committee,” he defended.
As the Senator Kinyang begins his mission on Saturday, March 12 it might be a perilous exercise.