Election Fever in Mbengwi Records Low Temperature Reading.

Election Fever in Mbengwi Records Low Temperature Reading.

Barely days left for Cameroonians to go to the polls to elect a new president, the campaign fever that's gripped other towns is missing in action in Mbengwi, the Momo Divisional Headquarters in the North Western region. Going by media reports, presidential aspirants and their supporters have been touring almost every part of the nation, galvanising for votes but for some parts of the two Anglophone regions.

Against all odds, the CPDM successfully held a campaign rally at Mountain Hotel Buea and Congress Hall, Bamenda though critics have said it was more of an in-house meeting than a  campaign rally per se because of the security and enclosure. During the Bamenda meeting, the regional campaign manager, Prime Minister Philemon Yang installed divisional heads of campaign missions within the N.W for the ruling party. Such were charged with the responsibility of working in collaboration with ground militants to ensure that the door to door message of The Force of Experience, their party's presidential candidate's  campaign slogan reaches the nukes and crannies of their sections, sub sections and cells.

Presidential Hopeful Akere T. Muna

State Audit Minister, Mbah Achah Rose was installed to head the campaigns in Momo Division. Since then, the divisional headquarters is yet to be gripped by the campaign fever. No single poster of any other candidate has been pasted anywhere in the town, but for The Force of Experience posters of incumbent president Paul Biya. The few inhabitants still left in the deserted town of Mbengwi woke up this Sunday morning, the last day in September to find campaign posters of Paul Biya pasted almost everywhere in Mbon Motor Park, Mile 18 and other major streets. Among the inhabitants, nobody dares identify himself or herself with any political party. No single individual has been able to muster courage and put on the fabric or T-shirt or gadgets of any political party.  At the level of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) Momo Divisional Branch and Mbengwi Communal Branch offices, it's like they are in charge of everything but elections. Both offices are deserted, workers have become internally displaced and are seeking refuge elsewhere. I met with one ELECAM staff who told me for security reasons and based on what's been happening in other areas where their offices are being burnt, non of them feel comfortable again identifying themselves with the office.

H.E Minister Mbah Acha, Momo Divisional Campaign Head for the C.P.D.M

Everything being equal, this year's presidential elections would've been very remarkable to the people of Mbengwi in particular and Momo Division in general because for the first time in the history of Cameroon, a son of the soil, Akere Tandeng Muna is vying for the presidency of the republic under the banner of Popular Front for Development (PFD). Akere Muna is eying the Etoudi prestigious seat yet his charity had to probably due to conditions beyond control not begin from home. One would've expected Mbengwi, his hometown to be the bastion of his political party yet since he declared his intentions to stand as presidential candidate till date, he has never set foot in Mbengwi publicly.

Crowd at a Campaign Rally in Douala, Mbengwi Used to Have Such in the Good Old Days

Compared to the incumbent that has enjoyed blessings from the traditional authorities of the South Region, Akere Muna is yet to enjoy such blessings and probably conferment of a traditional title from the fons of the Meta clan. It should be recalled that  months after her presidential appointment as Minister Delegate at the Presidency in Charge of the Supreme State Audit, Madam Mbah Acha née Fomundam Rose was conferred the traditional title of "Ingor-te-Widikum" by the Meta fons during the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Meta Cultural and Development Association (MECUDA) that took place on the Mbengwi municipal stadium in December 2015. Just for aspiring to be president, it's obvious the Meta fons that are very charitable with dishing out titles would've served Akere with one but for now, no one can tell why Akere chose to sideline his own people from his ambitions when they needed him most, at least for consolation and promises, the language of politics.

With this atmosphere of uncertainty and abandonment by aspirants, the commoners are wondering if the October 7th 2018 presidential elections will be a non event in Mbengwi? Government sources have however maintained the firm stance of the state and given all assurance that the elections will hold in Mbengwi and other sub divisions of Momo just like elsewhere in the country in a smooth and serene atmosphere.

Prayers for Peace in Mbengwi Intensified as Bullets Rain

Prayers for Peace in Mbengwi Intensified as Bullets Rain

The 2018 International Day of Peace was commemorated last Friday September 21st. Recognized by the United Nations and first celebrated in 1982, it is a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and people. The theme for this year was "The Right to Peace - the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70". In its Article 3, it states that "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person". These elements build the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

To mark the day, some denominations organised weeklong activities that ended last Sunday September 22nd 2018. At P.C.C Njembeng Congregation in the Meta Presbytery of the N.W region, Christians attended service with peace plants. Reverend Epie Mark K. is the parish pastor. "You know we live at a time when we are in dire need of peace and the Moderator of the P.C.C organised a week of prayers for peace. We have been praying for peace in our land and our nation. This week of prayers culminated with a special church service today to pray for peace because we see that our brothers and sisters are dying, they've fled their homes, our land has been deserted and we think that only God can restore us back to our past glories. We can only cry to him because he is the prince of peace" he said.

Christians With Peace Plants in Church During Service

It should be recalled that on Thursday June 7th 2018, a college of clergy men in Mbengwi in collaboration with the Momo administration under the stewardship of the Senior Divisional Officer, Absalom Monono Woloa organised a special ecumenical service dubbed "Our Choirs Sing for Peace". Since then till date, but for a few exceptional cases of military and separatist fighter's excesses, the town of Mbengwi is reported to have fortunately been enjoying relative peace, compared to other areas. To the Reverend Epie Mark, it's a clear prove that God answers prayers. Hear him, "For sure our God is a God who always says Yes and Amen, our God is a God who never lies. He has assured us that his peace he gives to us and so we are very confident that God is using even us here in Mbengwi to prove to the world that he is a God of peace and we pray that we experience better peace than we have experienced so far, God being on our side"

While others have been focusing all their attention on prayers 24/7, the presbyterian church believes prayers precede action. It is for this reason that the church has been reaching out with humanitarian support to Internally Displaced Persons in Cameroon and refugees in Nigeria brought about by the ongoing anglophone crisis. Put together by Christians of the P.C.C through its local congregations and supported by partners like The Methodist Church of England and Mission 21, the donations in cash and materials like medication, dresses, mattresses, food and other equipment are being handed to victims irrespective of their religious inclinations.

 A similar exercise is to be conducted by P.C.C Njembeng in the days ahead reason why the parish pastor called on all I.D.Ps within the congregation to get registered so as to benefit irrespective of age for the items have been classified for persons between 0-4 years, 5-11, 12-17, 18-59 years and 60 years and above. As Rev. Epie Mark put it, "The church first took the initiative even before the government because we have to be one another's keeper, we have to be brothers and sisters in the Lord, taking care of the needs of one another. And so as a church, we felt the need to meet the needs of our own brothers and sisters who have lost properties, who've lost homes and are displaced, living in other people's lands and houses. We thought the only way we could meet them is to give a generous hand to them. The government has just come behind us and we cannot condemn such a gesture because it is in the one hand to meet the needs of the people but what we demand so strongly from the government is justice and that the powers that be should look into the situation and solve it from the roots for us to live in peace." he ended.

Rev. Epie Mark K. Parish Pastor, P.C Njembeng

Drawing his text from Galathians 5:13-5, the officiating minister at the service focused his sermon on Christian freedom during which he said Christianity is the only true democracy. Barely six days after the service, it rained bullets in Mbengwi when separatist fighters attacked the gendarmerie and police posts in Mile 18, the heart of the sub division. The military, charged with securing territorial integrity succeeded to chase the attackers away.

Governor Adolf Lele Woos Fighters With Psychosocial & Logistical Support Upon Repentance

Governor Adolf Lele Woos Fighters With Psychosocial & Logistical Support Upon Repentance

The governor of the N.W Region of Cameroon, Adolf Lele Lafrique has called on the population of his region of command to remain the peace loving, law abiding and above all God fearing citizens that they've always been in the face of the ongoing sociopolitical and security turmoil rocking the region. He made this call last Friday September 14 2018 in a press release he read out to media persons in the MINEPAT regional delegation conference hall, Up Station, Bamenda.

He began by first announcing to the entire population of the region that following the growing acts of killing, kidnapping for ransom, looting of property, destruction of personal documents and generalized vandalism perpetrated against pupils, students, teachers, innocent civilian masses and the defence and security forces accompanied by threats from secessionist activities promising to ground socioeconomic activities and hinder circulation of persons within, into and out of the region in the days ahead, government has taken appropriate measures following very high instructions from the Head of State to guarantee the collective safety and security of the movements and activities of the inhabitants of the region through the end of year festivities and stop trouble makers.

Adolf Lele Lafrique, N.W Governor

Adolf Lele Lafrique reiterated what had since been in practice, that movements of persons and goods shall be subjected to strict (but highly professional) controls in accordance with section 2 of Law No. 90/54 of 19 Dec. 1990. He warned that private individuals, commercial vehicles or motorbikes that shall be caught in the act of transporting terrorists or compromising materials and those facilitating such transactions shall simply be assimilated as terrorists themselves and treated as such.

In the press release, the governor also called on all parents, children, loved ones, brothers and sisters who have been misguided and misled to take up arms against the fatherland to surrender their weapons to the nearest Administrative, Traditional, Municipal or Religious authority and as a follow up, they shall be entitled to psychological and logistical support for their eventual rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

The strengths of the diaspora in stirring the struggle weren't underestimated. Adolf Lele Lafrique offered them an olive branch by saying, "Our brothers and sisters in the diaspora are called upon to desist from manipulating the population and sponsoring socioeconomic hardship and illiteracy, but to instead redirect their hard earned resources to socioeconomic development and education which they themselves benefitted from and which has made them the respectable men and women they are; and to accompany the government in Nation building as true and committed patriots."

He ended by asking God to bless Cameroon. However, it should be noted that before, during and after the governor's release, hundreds of public transport vehicles fully loaded with goods and passengers kept speeding out of the region, clearly indicative of the governor's call for  inhabitants to stay put and go about their normal life unperturbed to have fallen on deaf ears.

Before now, contradictory messages of calls from the supposed Ambazonia leaders abroad and ground zero fighters for a complete shutdown of the two Anglophone regions for close to a month had been widely spread on social media. They were received with high condemnation and opposition. Though subsequent messages from various angles have been trying to reprogram the supposed shutdown, in a bit not to add insult to injury, such are alleged to be coming little too late because for fear of the unknown and foreseeing their inability to stay indoors for close to a month, an alarming proportion of the population has been fleeing into Baffoussam, Douala, Yaounde and other towns to seek refuge.

The crisis have continued to escalate because both separatist fighters and government troops have vehemently refused to listen to the numerous resounding calls for an immediate ceasefire and commencement of  dialogue. Instead both parties have rather been going in for more and more sophisticated weaponry to exhibit their might. In the midst of this two elephants fights, the grass (innocent citizens) is suffering.

Mbengwi; Dry Taps in Rainy Season

Mbengwi; Dry Taps in Rainy Season

Early in the mornings and late in the evenings, children and youths are regularly seen in their numbers with empty buckets, jugs and other  containers criss crossing one part of the municipality to another in search of the precious liquid, water. For over a month now, many households in Mbengwi especially in the Mile 18, Mile 19, Wumfi, Muswe neighbourhoods and even G.R.A, hosting the top notches of the sub division have gone without water.

Youths from Fetching Water

Koye Glory is a single mother in Mbengwi. Almost in tears, she decried the precarious situation saying they've really been suffering for over a month now. She says they've now turned to wells in the quarters whose water they use in washing dresses and cooking especially as water from the well is very clean. However for fear of the unknown, the thirsty population doesn't drink from the wells. Since few taps are still flowing in the quarters, they go and beg to carry drinkable pipe borne water from neighbours.

Koye Glory, Fetching Water from a Well

Fon Elvis is a restaurateur in Mbengwi. On how the water crisis is affecting his business, he said, "I spend a thousand francs a day on bike to go and fetch portable water from Ku village, Bome, covering a distance of close to two kilometres. When I contacted some of the water authorities, they said we should give them money for repairs but couldn't be specific on the amount." He added that there's a well near him from where they also fetch water and distil with salt and other chemicals before usage. But that to his greatest dismay, despite the dry taps, the issuance of water bills continues.

Having heard from the suffering consumers, I went noosing for reactions from the office of the water utility company, Camwater to get their own side of the story. Speaking off record and on basis of anonymity, the official there that attended to me confirmed that their office is very much aware of the situation on the ground and know all the affected areas. But to him, the problem is the current Anglophone crisis that's been greatly affecting every sector of the economy negatively, water inclusive. He went ahead to say from their office to the water source up the hills of Guneku village and the treatment centre in Wumngang is a distance of several kilometres. Considering that these areas are remote and alleged to be hideouts of separatist fighters, they in the office can't dare risk their lives to go there. They regret the situation but put the blame on insecurity.

Dry Taps in Rainy Season

Should the current crisis persist, will the population continue to  have dry throats? Luckily, no outbreak of any water borne disease has been reported and more so, the rains are still falling but with the approach of the dry season, a bad situation is feared to get worse.

Impromptu Markets Erupt in Mbengwi

Impromptu Markets Erupt in Mbengwi

With the collapse of the Tad weekly market, the biggest in Mbengwi Central Sub Division in the N.W region of Cameroon, caused by the ongoing anglophone crisis, new temporal markets have been sprouting up within the central town of the municipality. As such, sellers are now compelled to move from the suburbs with their produce to Mile 19 and Mile 18 to meet buyers. On Wednesday September 12 2018, Tad market was supposed to function in Nyen village, located some 3km from Mbengwi town but instead, brisk business went on at Hilltop Mile 19 and Mbon Park Mile 18.

Items on Sale

Madam Asah Grace, a buyer at the make shift market at Mile 18 explained that she didn't go to Tad market in Nyen because she discovered that all those who were supposed to sell in Tad have instead come to Mbengwi. From her findings, traders aren't going there because of the way the market's been destroyed. As for the pricing, she said she bought a bucket of garri for 4.000F, a bucket of cocoyams for 4.500F but the prices weren't stable. They fluctuate depending on the bargaining power of the buyer

Aerial View of Mile 19 Hilltop Market Site

Contrary to allegations that Mbengwi is highly deserted, the population that showed up this day at these temporal market sites clearly indicated that there is still much life within the Mbengwi municipality. Farm produce like palm oil, garri and domestics animals like pigs, goats were very much available for sale. The reasons why buyers and sellers can't still access the Tad market despite the opening up of the roads by the military that were barricaded with tree trunks by separatist fighters are explained by Mr. Ndaya James, a vendor. "The problem is bad roads. The bridge at 3-Corners, Mbemi has been dismantled. So heavy duty vehicles can't transport goods to and from the market."

Domestic Animals for Sale

It is reported that because of the desperation of the vendors, buyers are now taking advantage of the crises situation to pay lesser prices. Sellers too have no choice than to sell cheap. Mr James once more, "The prices have been falling down. Garri that we used to sell 25 cups is now being sold at 27/30 cups for a thousand." He went ahead to complain about means of transportation, that many vendors have no choice than to carry their produce on their heads from the suburbs to Mbengwi town.

It is hoped that in the near future, municipal authorities will put in place measures to see that Tad market regains its fallen glories before such temporal sites become permanent.

U.S Embassy Yaoundé Trains Journalists on Election Coverage

U.S Embassy Yaoundé, Trains Journalists on Election Coverage

They were forty in number, drawn from six regions of the country. They were invited by the United States Embassy, Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaoundé, Cameroon to be schooled on election coverage by Elizabeth Bryant, a Paris-based American print/radio journalist specialised in political, developmental and environmental issues.

Holding for two days in the embassy's Multi Purpose Room, September 4th - 5th, 2018, attendees were enlightened on roles and responsibilities of the press during elections. It is prerequisite for journalists to fully cover happenings before, during and after elections through breaking news, spots and bulletins, features, debates, interviews, round tables, profiles, polls and surveys, interactive/call in programs and social media handles (tweets, blogs, Facebook pages).

Workshop Session. Photo Cr. U.S Emb. Y'de

Apart from elections, they were told their reports could focus on women and minority, change versus stability, economy and employment, security and threats against press freedom and the basics (health, education, infrastructure etc). Elizabeth Bryant told the reporters that before elections, they should school their listeners, viewers and readers on candidates profiles, manifestos, funding and equitably focus on all parties involved. On the d-day of the elections, focus should be on voting, first reactions and exit polls. Then after the elections, reports have to be on results, analyses and reactions.

Mr. Okha Bau Okha is a senior staff at Elections Cameroon, ELECAM. As one of the facilitators at the workshop, he outlined the organigram of his institution and their functionalities. He disclosed that ELECAM is charged with the organisation, management, and supervision of referendums and elections like presidential, senatorial, parliamentary and municipal. He also strongly defended the "apoliticalness" of the structure though a majority of the journalists found this wanting.

Award of Certificates. Photo Cr. U.S Emb. Y'de

Ebude Ekane is a journalist working with the state media, CRTV. Expressing her take home message at the end of the workshop, she said "I'm very elated. I've learnt a lot during these two days on elections coverage which is timely because on Oct. 7th, Cameroonians shall be going to the polls. So we had to remind ourselves on some basic notions about journalism to be able to give out the right information to the public on the d-day." To Ngong Song Jean-Marie, a reporter with The Rambler newspaper, "Gaining more knowledge on elections reporting at a time we are facing a presidential election goes a long way to better me to be able to cover the event come October 7."

At the end of the two day workshop on election coverage, Elizabeth Bryant, the main facilitator expressed her satisfaction, "It was basically about working with colleagues to share experience and make sure that because this is such an important election in Cameroon, the journalists will face so many challenges in covering it. So it was really to see if we can work together to make sure perhaps, you know, the best opportunities in terms of writing, getting good stories, conducting interviews etc were met. I have to say I was really impressed with the energy, the professionalism and the working together was just an amazing experience. The collaboration was great. I was really impressed and enjoyed my time."

Blog Admin. Quizzing the Resource Person. Photo Cr. U.S Emb. Y'de

With the media practitioners now fully armed with skills and knowledge to face the challenges that lie ahead,  the question now is, "Despite the many trainings on  peace journalism, crises reporting and elections reporting they've attended, will journalists in the troubled two English speaking regions of Cameroon cover the presidential elections on October 7th?" This, because separatist fighters have banned anything that has to do with elections in these two regions as they intensify their fight for the independence of the state they call Ambazonia. It's a wait and see.

Hold-up at Akum; "Coupeurs des Routes" Get Thousands Stranded

Hold-up at Akum; "Coupeurs des Routes" Get Thousands Stranded

Barely days after women of the N.W region of Cameroon rallied on the Bamenda Municipal Stadium to cry for a return to peace, one would've thought their move was the final teaser to prick the powers that be to get down to work. But the recent melee at Mile 7 Akum, Santa Sub Division    has presented the world with a real bigger picture of what Minister Atanga Nji Paul erroneously referred to as a pocket of resistants that shall be crushed by the supposed professional military of Cameroon within the shortest possible time.

Hundreds of cars and thousands of passengers were on Sunday Morning, September 9th 2018 trapped at Mile 8 Akum. It started in the evening of the previous day at about 10pm. Cars had left Bamenda to engage night journeys to other towns only to be stopped at Akum where alleged separatist fighters  staged a showdown.

Passengers Continuing on Foot

Speaking on basis of anonymity, one of the travellers that lived the event said they bumped into the road blockade at about 9pm and saw the alleged separatist fighters in their numbers, well armed with sophisticated weapons. They were asked to personally cut off the part on their IDs having the Green, Red, Yellow flag of Cameroon and many of the passengers did this using their teeth, the only available sharp object. 

She said the fighters after halting traffic flow, collected the phones of many passengers so that they couldn't make any calls, cut off unwanted potions on the IDs of some and deflated the tyres of many cars. The phones were given back in bulk but at the end not all those whose phones were seized got them back. Many passengers were pulled out of the buses and asked to lie flat on their bellies, this at a time when it was raining and places were muddy.

Then they only realised a front head loader was being used to cut off the road at two separate locations. Then about seven buses belonging to Amor Mezam travel agency were shattered after the passengers were pulled out. The engine sections of the burses were burnt. No room was given for them to pull out their valuable items from the buses. The driver of the caterpillar, that happened to be one of the fighters that took the passengers hostage used the heavy duty equipment to shatter the said buses.

Stranded Vehicles

 At the end, the caterpillar too was set ablaze though it didn't burn completely. One person was killed in the incidence.

Travelling in from Douala Saturday night to Bamenda, this reporter got stuck in the cue. Brasseries trucks, Dangote trucks, fuel tankers, seventy seaters (buses) got grounded at Mile 8 Akum for over 3 hours Sunday morning waiting for the military to relink the road for circulation to flow. Curiosity took me out of my bus to find out what was happening. About 20m down the junction to Baba 2, at the foot of a stiff hill, I noticed the aftermaths of the drama that ensued at night. As the attackers carried on their acts, they kept firing in the air. Many passengers got scared and jumped out of their buses. Below the road is a cliff. Panic stricken, in darkness, under heavy rains, they rolled down the cliff like pigs. I saw muddy shoes, headscarf, caps, bags, dresses, mobile phones that fell off in the course of the escape. Several eucalyptus trees and rocks were on the cliff. I'm sure many would've hit their bones against these objects and sustained injuries. 

My informant told me military intervention only came in after the fighters had completed their mission and left. The stranded passengers were escorted by the military back to the agencies in town where they spent the night and only reengaged the journey in the morning. The military came in with other road construction heavy duty equipment in the morning and succeeded to refill the broken potions on the road and that was how traffic flow was reestablished.

Phones Seized from Passenger & Later Dumped

At press time, in a counter move to maintain law and order, the governor of the North West Region, Adolf Lele Lafrique has signed a release prohibiting movement of persons and goods within the region between 6am to 6pm. The release further restricts functioning of bars, off licences, night clubs, circulation of bikes during the stipulated time. Night journey too in and out of the region has been suspended till further notice. The decision has been received with mixed feelings. Many think it's simply making a bad situation worst.