Mbengwi Council Mayor Election; And It Happened Again

Mbengwi Council Mayor Election; And It Happened Again

Threats, intimidations, phone calls and dissenting voices challenging party discipline were some of the characteristics of the exercise to elect a new Mayor for the Mbengwi Council following the February 9th 2020 twin elections in which the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) party swept the Mbengwi council in the municipals through a one man show as the party had no challenger.

On Tuesday February 25th 2020, 25 newly elected CPDM councillors met in the Mbengwi council hall to elect a new mayor and it happened again, that no mayor rules the Mbengwi council for more than a mandate. The incumbent, Tebe Beatrice after fighting a losing battle with the last kicks of a dying horse to break the record ended up being shown the exit door. That's how Ndangsa Kennedy Akam appeared out of the blue to stamp himself as the new mayor.

Ndangsa Kennedy (New Mayor) and Tebe Beatrice (Out Gone Mayor) 

Testing the Water

During part one of the program, the councillors first held an in-house consultation meeting in search of common grounds to veto just a single candidate that shall be presented to the administration for endorsement during part two. This motion met very stiff resistance. The dramatic session conducted by Mr. Asongwed Emmanuel (Chargé des Missions) and Mr. Chick Marcus, (Central Committee) exposed the cracks within the party.

Mbengwi Online saw two camps in the hall; those who challenged the status quo of sheepishly allowing a hot potato to be forced down their throats in the name of party discipline and those who were strict respecters of party discipline. The former, in the minority, knew they were fighting a losing battle yet they overcame all threats, pressure and intimidations and fought so hard for things to be done rightly following the bottom-top approach of councillors voting their desired mayor not the hierarchy imposing a candidate on them. 

The later were the silent majority. While "the challengers" kept making 'noise', they, "the followers" maintained sealed lips from start to finish and spoke just once, through the ballot box and the message was clear; once in Rome, do as the Romans do - by following party discipline. The interest of the common man in Mbengwi, the municipality and the people they're representing in the council is seemingly not their concern. Obviously, within their five years mandate, they'll be representing the party's interest not the people's interest. After all, he who pays the piper detects the tune. The people didn't vote them, rather, the party imposed them. Who bites the finger that feeds him?

The Rigging Machinery

If there was anything "the challengers" succeeded to do, they forced voting to take place not acclamation. After sensing that the only way to break the deadlock was to grant their wish, the two visiting party officials yielded to the demand. Real politics thus started. It was time to do it the CPDM way.

First, room was given for nominations and that was how the execution of the master plan started. Nobody nominated Fomundam Eric popularly known as "Vandam" yet prior to the election, he was tipped to be a candidate. Mr. Foncham Elias was nominated and surprisingly he declined yet he was tipped to be a candidate. Tebe Beatrice, the incumbent was nominated and she accepted. Her case was very obvious because in an interview with Mbengwi Online after the last council session before the elections, she asked for a second mandate. And then the joker of the day, Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, the surprise candidate that appeared from nowhere just at the nip of time to "shock" all. He was nominated and he accepted. 

Mbengwi Council Building 

Prior to the exercise, three candidates were in the race and the name Ndangsa wasn't among. So where did he come from? Who is he? How did he find his way to the top? Well, these questions and more will be answered later but for now, we stay with the rigging machinery. 

When it was now fully established that just two candidates were in the race, the game began. A transparent ballot box was brought and ballot papers shared to the 25 councillors present to vote. When all had dropped their papers in the box, it was opened and the first counting done was to ensure they were 25 ballot papers but hell no, miracles do seemingly happen even in politics - 26 ballot papers were counted. Where did one extra ballot paper suddenly appear from? With this, the election was nullified and the mounting of pressure resumed for all to unanimously acclaim the party's candidate, Ndangsa Kennedy Akam.

In broad day light, within themselves it happened, the elections were rigged. At this point in time, "the challengers" switched their course by requesting for the presence of the Momo Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for proceedings to continue. Agreeing on this, the session was suspended and for over an hour, there was no SDO. Instead phone calls were being made and answered probably to give or take high instructions while others were being hand pulled away to private corners and talked to. 

Threats & Intimidations

Still in the absence of the much expected SDO, activities resumed and continued with the mounting of pressure for those challenging party hierarchy to compromise yet they stood their grounds. Councillor Tezi Sera Fri and Councillor Nemabelli Epse Fombad Loui championed the opposition camp within the party and maintained their conviction for things to be done rightly. The duo became a thorn in the flesh of the visiting party officials that thought it was going to be an easy ride for them to sail through with the agenda they came to execute. 

Councillors in Session

Mbengwi Online captured some of the threats and intimidations meted on "the challengers" by Chick Marcus and Asongwed Emmanuel. Hear them:

"What I've come here to do is to implement the decision of the hierarchy." "The central committee has a candidate and that candidate must be followed." "You people have been disturbing the election. Now we have to take party measures and discipline. No elections again." "Here, there's already a candidate that has won." "The two of you are running towards expulsion, we will remove you people from the party for indiscipline." "There's no other option, no talking again. If you go against party rules, your name will be taken up. We don't want the name of any other candidate, it's party rule." "The CPDM has invested just one candidate. Anybody who's standing should be from another party not the CPDM."

Unfortunately all these threats didn't yield the expected results. To then cut a long story short, for time constraints, the councillors were given ballot papers to write "Yes" or "No" on them depending on one's choice with Yes being in support of the party's candidate and No being not in support of the party's candidate. When the papers were collected and counted, 15 councillors answered "Yes" while 10 said "No." With these results, it became evidently clear that finally, the party's candidate was going to carry the day. It should be recalled that all of these were in-house politicking void of the presence of any administrative official. 

Sooner, the Momo Senior Divisional Officer, Fouda Etaba Bernoit Nicaise then walked into the hall together with his entourage that was made up of the Divisional Officer for Mbengwi, Sakwe Jarvis Esapa and the heads of the various security units. With their arrival, the real business of the day then began, this time around, according to the law. After roll call during which all 25 councillors answered present, the oldest councillor, Anapa Isaac was then appointed to chair the elective session and Councillor Foncham Elias was appointed to be the minutes secretary. Room was then given for nomination of candidates for the post of mayor to be done before voting and again another drama started.  

Fouda Etaba Nicaise, Momo's SDO flanked by Chick Marcus (Central Committee) on the right and Sakwe Jarvis (Mbengwi's D.O) on the left

All attempts were made to dissuade the S.D.O from giving room for any voting to take place on the basis that the councillors as members of one party had consulted and came out with just a single candidate that should simply be endorsed by acclamation and not voted since there's no challenger. Again, the Tebe Beatrice camp insisted to the S.D.O that there are two aspirants and voting must be done to elect the better of the two. At this point, Tebe's black file was then unleashed and the accusations levied against her given as reason to disqualify her candidacy. 

She was accused of having gone against party discipline and found wanting for disgracing the party through the hidden camera mafia that was uncovered in the poling station of Government Nursery School Mbengwi  during the 2018 senatorial elections. To Asongwed Emmanuel, this malpractice Tebe Beatrice singlehandedly masterminded without the consent of the party ended up dirtying the party's image. 

In response, Tebe denied the accusations, saying that she's never been served any query letter by the party and that it should've been the security forces and legal department to indict her not the party if at all she was guilty of any criminal act. The fact that she has no court case means these were cooked up charges to disqualify her candidacy despite the fact that she stood her grounds in Mbengwi as mayor, saving the image of the party when almost all other top notches and militants escaped to other towns because of the Anglophone crisis abandoning her almost to herself. Her defense was strong but was more of throwing water on a duck's back because the deal had been sealed from the top to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it, Tebe must go. 

Fouda Etaba scored points to his credit as a reputable seasoned administrator by standing his grounds that the process to elect a new mayor must be done according to the law, contrary to fears many had that he was coming in to side with party discipline. "Don't implicate me in something that is against the law" he insisted to Asongwed and Chick who kept trying hard to dissuade him to dance according to their tune. Unable to challenge an administrator of such magnitude who masters the law, "the followers" bowed to pressure and that's how voting was finally done.

Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy Akam

The Results

In the preliminary results when the final task imposed on the councillors was to answer "Yes" or "No" in support of the  party's candidate, the incumbent was beaten. One would've expected "the followers" to then be confident of any voting, reason why it surprised many to see that they rather still kept insisting that no voting will take place until the no nonsense S.D.O imposed what the law says not what the party says. 

In their campaign speeches, Ndangsa Kennedy began by outlining his leadership profile. He said as the development president of the Mbengwi Elements Development Association (MEDA) plus being one time Head Teacher of Government School (G.S) Dom, Wumnemburg and Bessi Fomukong and current Chief of Administration and Finance in the Momo Divisional Delegation of Basic Education, he stands a better candidate to be mayor. "A vote for me is a vote for the return of peace and school resumption in Mbengwi" he ended. 

The incumbent, Tebe Beatrice on her part outlined some of the success stories of her mandate during which she won several awards of recognition for the council most especially a 50 millions contract for solar electrification from PNDP and several developmental projects she successfully executed during her mandate. 

Having heard from both candidates, the councillors then went to the polls and at the end of the counting exercise, the results remained same like before; 15 votes for Ndangsa Kennedy, the party's candidate and 10 votes for Tebe Beatrice. That was how little known Ndangsa unexpectedly surfaced from no where at the dying minute to be crowned the new mayor of the Mbengwi council. 

In his acceptance speech, he thanked all for the confidence bestowed on him and affirmed it wasn't an easy race. "You are going to remain our resource person in the council" he told Ma Tebe. At the end of his acceptance speech, both winner and loser embraced each other, shook hands and posed for pictures, this to the acclamation of all. The strong message was thus pass across, that the party won not an individual and that at the end of the day, it was just politics which is now over as work starts.

Being a planned act, Councillor Chunga Patrick Dara's self nomination to maintain his initial position as  deputy mayor was rejected. Instead it was Councillor Doreen Fonjong that was put in as first deputy mayor while Councillor Khadiri Amadu was put in as second deputy. Ndangsa, Fonjong and Khadiri are the three candidates the party had prepared to implant at the helm of the council and they did. 

L-R: Ndangsa Kennedy (Mayor), Doreen Fonjong (1st Deputy), Kadiri Amadu (2nd Deputy)

Talking to Mbengwi Online after his victory the newly elected Mbengwi Council's mayor  said he's had the interest of Mbengwi since from time immemorial. On priority projects, he disclosed that the major roads in Mbengwi are not the best and so primary focus will be on improving the state of farm to market roads. As regards education, the new municipal authority   said "Looking at our educational institutions, they are dwindling backwards so it'll be my primary objective to see that these educational institutions regain normalcy." Considering that his ascension to power met stiff opposition meaning obviously there'll now be disgruntled councillors, Ndangsa Kennedy preached reconciliation. "The first thing is that I'll reconcile the councillors so that we work as a team because without unity, they'll be no progress." he ended. 

The Councillors

For over 20 years, the Mbengwi council had been in the hands of the opposition party, the Social Democratic Front SDF) not until 2013 that it became a tripartite council with CPDM having 19 seats, SDF 5 and Alliance of Progressive Forces (APF) 1. In 2020, the CPDM finally succeeded to completely take over the council. The rise of the CPDM is said to have been thanks to the enormous sacrifices of Fomundam Eric, noted for his philanthropy and Sanji Joseph Achu, the current CPDM Momo 1 Section President, noted for his Meta Solidarity Cross Country Race. Unfortunately till date, non of them has ever smelled mayorship.

It should be noted that since the inception of multipartism, no mayor has ruled the Mbengwi council for more than a mandate. With this unbroken order, the newly elected mayor will likely also leave in 2025. Outgoing mayor Tebe Beatrice is said to have risen to the top thanks to the then Minister of Arts and Culture, Ama Tutu Muna. Incoming  Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy is said to have gained this position thanks to the current Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Supreme State Control, Mbah Acha née Fomundam Rose.

Selfie Mode

Here thus are the councillors in whose hands the development of the Mbengwi municipality has been entrusted for the next five years.
1. Mbamuku Nduku Beatrice
2. Doreen Anwi Fonjong
3. Fomundam Eric Awandeh
4. Foncham Elias Kimbeng
5. Tezi Sera Fri
6. Anapa Isaac Ngwa
7. Chunga Patrick Dara
8. Njee Ngwa Jacob
9. Nemabelli Epse Fomumbad Loui
10. Chum Idadi Achick
11. Fombi Sylvester Fokam
12. Ngoh Calvin
13. Kadiri Amadu
14. Aji Frankline
15. Ndangsa Kennedy Akam
16. Kimbeng Joel Fomunyoh
17. HRH Fonguh Henry Tata
18. HRH Mbabit Humphrey Tangwan
19. Ndojuo Rose Chuh
20. Tembe Daniel Asanga
21. Umaru Adamuh
22. Gwan Anas
23. Tebug Appolo Nji
24. Nangah David Tata
25. Beatrice Annih Tekwe

Ngarbur-Ntumbaw Mass Killings, PCC Moderator reacts

Ngarbur-Ntumbaw Mass Killing, PCC Moderator reacts

Following the February 14 2020 mass killing in Ngarbuh-Ntumbaw, Donga-Mantung division of the North West region, reactions have been pouring in locally, nationally and internationally, all condemning the act. The moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) has condemn the killing.

"We outrightly condemn the killing of children, women and entire household in Ngarbuh – Ntumbaw. We equally denounce the ungodly act of burning a PCC house of worship at Mbufung – Bali." The Right Reverend Fonki Samuel also reiterated that the use of military might to quell the rising secessionist groups will never be a way out of the crisis.

Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, PCC Moderator

"Once more, it has proven to us that military might or violence is not the solution to this problem. An insincere route to peace, half measures, lack of good will, a general insensitivity to the pain of God’s people, the hate speech and violence perpetrated by armed separatists, an extremely poor governance and selfish politics continues to fuel this crisis." He went ahead to propose the way forward: implementation of Grand National Dialogue resolutions, need for an external mediator. He expressed fears God may be angry with his people and has turned his back against them.

"Can we not implement in full all the proposals of the Grand National Dialogue? In this circumstance, the role of External Mediators just like before has become urgent and expedient. We have failed as a people to protect God’s children, surely God is vexed and we must repent as a nation". It should be noted that this isn't the first time the moderator has castigated the excesses of both warring parties in the ongoing Anglophone crisis. At some point he was even dragged to court and later acquitted, a day he shed tears in public.

They've been conflicting figures on the total number of persons killed in the Ngarbuh incidence. The state has been denying that its forces carried out the act. Many accusing fingers have however remained pointed towards the government military. While secessionist leaders and other organisations put the figure at around 30, the government on its part talks of five killed. 

Unfortunately, since the advent and subsequent escalation of the crisis, just condemnation messages keep pouring and verbal calls for a quick end to the crisis plus proposals for a way forward. With all these seemingly falling on deaf ears, there's urgent need for a physical intervention by external bodies to force the two parties to seat for peace talks or drag instigators to court.

Mbengwi Council Mayoral Aspirants: Who's Who?

Mbengwi Council Mayoral Aspirants: Who's Who?

The February 9th 2020 twin elections in Cameroon ended with a resounding victory for the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement as the party swept nearly all councils and parliamentary seats. After winning the councils, the game has now moved to the next level as the scramble to be mayor is in full gear.

While in some council areas, celebrations are already taking place following the voting into office of new mayors and their deputies, in other areas hearts are still panting as last minute campaigns and consultations are being rounded off. The Mbengwi Council will on Tuesday February 24th 2020 elect a mayor to manage the council till 2025. So far, three persons are said to have declared their intention. As such, the political Maradonas of Mbengwi are now negotiating the last gymnastics to secure victory. Who are they?

Foncham Elias Kimbeng

Among those eyeing the top seat is Foncham Elias Kimbeng, current principal of nonfunctional GBHS Mbengwi. Very little is known about him in terms of political achievements on the political landscape of Mbengwi  but for that he's been a staunch card carrying CPDM militant for many years. Foncham is more of the intellectual than political class. https://www.linkedin.com/in/foncham-elias-kimbeng-13558710a profiles him better. For now, he's seemingly the "weakest" candidate albeit politics is a game that springs surprises so he's in no way a force not to reckon with. Should the competition become to stiff between to of the three aspirants, Foncham may be seen as a neutral candidate for the job to make amends so that the party doesn't break  loose after the voting exercise.

There's also Fomundam Eric Awandeh popularly known as "Vandam", a household name in the entire Mbengwi. From all the nukes and crannies of the entire Mbengwi sub division, the personality and if not the  name "Vandam" is well known among all.

Strengths

Sometimes in the past, Fomundam Eric went abroad and came back from there with heavy money. He soon became a philanthropist, donating hundreds of bags of cement here and there to support community development endeavours. He also built and maintained bridges. He opened up public taps in Mbengwi and made free water available to the population. At times he shared money (clean banknotes) to people and crates of drinks. In those days, Brasseries drinks were still in full circulation. 

Fomundam Eric

Fomundam Eric from these his enormous humanitarian actions measured to the tune of hundreds of millions spent on the people when he was "nobody" will then be made national president of the Bome Area Development Association (BADA). Later, the Meta Fon's Union (MEFU) offered him the title of "Tomfon". By now he hadn't shown the people any political colours. While some went questioning the source of his money and expressing fears, others went consuming it giving a damn about any consequences.

Prior to the 2013 twin elections, Eric will then show his political face. He might have nursed political ambitions or might have been cornered by politicians to make use of his fame for political gains. That's how he got to start militating with the CPDM and was immediately presented as a parliamentary candidate. Unfortunately he lost as SDF carried the day. From thence his fame started dwindling till date. 

Thus his supporters now see his candidacy as compensation for all his past losses. Many say for the CPDM to have taken over the Mbengwi council from the SDF was thanks to him yet at the end of the game, he emerged best loser, used and dumped. It is alleged he was tricked to aim high by vying for parliament without even beginning from the base as a councillor. Now that he's back to the base, his adversaries feel threatened.

A google search of his name shows that he's a writer with three books/novels to his credit published on https://www.amazon.com/Fomundam-Eric-Awandeh/e/B008YGRG5E%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share. Unfortunately, this has always sparked debates as to the intrigues surrounding his publications on amazon considering the educational level and lifestyle of the said author. Apart from these, there's nothing again on social media that gives any information about him.

Sanji Joseph Achu, CPDM Momo 1 Section President

Lastly his relative Minister Mbah Acha née Fomundam Rose is now on the plum tree. Blood they say is thicker than water. Within the CPDM, those at the top often determine who is who, where especially at the bottom. So his family connection alone to the minister puts him on a big advantage over others. Again, he seems closer to the Momo 1 Section president, Joseph Sanji Achu than the other two candidates. Though absent from the political field since the Anglophone crisis started, Ni Joe's opinion still very much counts within the party. If he is for "Vandam" who can be against him?

Weaknesses

No human being is perfect. No doubt his adversaries have been capitalising on his weaknesses and advancing them as justifiable reasons to disqualify him as mayor. First, they call him a scammer, that he travelled out, struck a shady deal and rushed back home with money from a doubtful source to spray and show off. They say that's why his money got finished till he  descended from riding a multimillion range rover to trekking. 

Though there's no law that says a mayor must be educated and speaks good grammar, Vandam's opponents say he's not educated to intellectually qualify for such a position. They add that apart from not being too educated, he's not having common sense and can't  speak convincingly as a politician. To his supporters, these are baseless reasons to discredit him. To them, a council has a secretary general and municipal treasurer trained by the state to assist mayors realise their projects. These are those who do the main documented works and not the mayor, they add.

Mbengwi Council Buildimg

At some point in his life, Fomundam Eric started gambling reason why his challengers question that "How can someone who plays PariFoot and Tiercé become a mayor?" In addition, they say he moves from bar to bar drinking palm wine with commoners. This makes him an adventurer that isn't fit to handle such a position. These are capitalised now and the reason is clear, politics.

Lastly, they say he's an escapee, an absentee landlord. When things became rough following the increase of lock downs, ghost towns, gun exchanges etc in Mbengwi, he disappeared to Douala with his entire family. Therefore, if he had braved the odds to stay back like others, he would've gained some points but the fact that he escaped means should there be any impending danger tomorrow, he will again disappear, abandoning the council. His coming back to Mbengwi now is interpreted as being because of his mayoral ambitions. This, contrary to the incumbent mayor who stayed with the people throughout till date.

Challenges

Considering that the incumbent didn't perform poorly during her mandate, Eric will have to  work harder to unseat her. Women have more  advantages these days when they stand for an elective position with men. The incumbent seemingly has a good following that will be difficult to dissuade and like said, "the devil one knows is better than the angel one doesn't." Eric has to convince popular opinion and dissuade many from thinking that he's coming to milk the council coffers to make up for what he lost in the past. 

Tebe Beatrice née Mbamuku Nduku

And now the incumbent, mayor Tebe Beatrice née Mbamuku Nduku. She was installed as the first ever female mayor of the Mbengwi council on December 10th 2013 by N.W governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique. Since then, she's remained astute and consistent in executing her functions till date. She's seeking reelection for a second mandate.

Strengths

Being a woman gives her more advantage over her male counterparts. The advocacy for more women in politics these days favours her. During her five years mandate plus one additional, she was performant not dormant. Compared to past mayors that handled the council, Mayor Tebe Beatrice reportedly realised much more better developmental projects for her municipality.

Through partnerships with PNDP, MECUDA, HIMO, REFELACam etc and from the council budget, she constructed a feed mill, a mortuary and chapel, a new slaughter house in G.R.A, a new cattle market in Acha Tugi and rehabilitated the Mbon market, GNS Njindom, GSS Nyen, a milk extraction house in Wumsom, equipping of electrical workshop in G.T.C Zang Tabi, supply of equipment to Munam Integrated Health Centre just to name these few. She also installed solar street lights in her municipality and was about rehabilitating roads within Mbengwi central with pavement bricks before the election period caught her.

GS Nyen Constructed by the Council 

If experience is anything to go by then she beats her opponents. Throughout her tenure, she's gained the necessary acquaintance with the functions of a municipal authority. It's now time to fully work as a mayor and only a second mandate can do this. Popular opinion holds that she be maintained though her fate lies in the hands of councillors not the public.

Throughout the crisis, Tebe Beatrice remained on the ground with the people facing the excesses of both belligerents in the conflict together with them through ghost towns, shutdowns, gunshots etc. It's even rumoured she's been threatened, kidnapped yet she's never escaped to stay in another town like her two challengers who just came back home from their hideouts and may likely return to where they were if the results don't favour them. As a result of the crisis, the Batibo, Widikum, Andek and Njikwa councils in Momo division had to shutdown as their mayors and councillors took to their heels yet mayor Tebe stayed put. Mbengwi council has never been closed, all council sessions have been held. It's an unbeatable record she established. While men flee, the woman remained.

Weaknesses

Tebe Beatrice seems to have created more enemies than friends throughout her mandate. It is said uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. She might have been fighting for the people when most of her close aids rather had their interests in their stomachs. Such accuse her of "chopping" alone and so will want her out at all cost. They expected the mayor to make things go round but she seems to have  worked only with herself or a few.

Her ascension to power is said to have been surrounded by controversies. Many still don't comprehend how she left the hospital as a nurse and rose straight to becoming a mayor when other old brooms had been in the party nursing such ambitions. 

Mbon Motor Park

There are other accusations against the incumbent mayor but most centre on individual grudges especially from those who had wanted to make personal gains through her being in office. As they failed the next thing is to give a dog a bad name and hang it. Her stay at the helm of the council for the next five years now depends on how fast she reconciles with most if not all her "enemies". If personal interests and grudges could be kept aside and the opinions of many inhabitants in and out of Mbengwi considered, Tebe Beatrice merits a second mandate.

Challenges

No mayor has headed the Mbengwi council for more than a mandate since the introduction of multipartism. Mayor Tebe will have to go an extra mile to beat this order. She has two strong male challengers that may end up conniving into an alliance so as to overcome her. 

Ama Tutu Muna, One time Minister of Arts and Culture

As the countdown to Tuesday 24th February 2020 narrows, tensions keep increasing. With the puting in place of decentralisation and special statues, involving more money and more autonomy for local councils, never has the combat to be mayor been this highly competitive within the Mbengwi council. There are expectations that more surprises might still spring up. While the trio are doing everything within their reach to secure the seat, others are backing them up because should they win, they will be made deputies. As such the councillors are now in dispersed ranks. Mbengwi Online is following.

Red Alert: Bushfires Burning Bushy Schools

Red Alert: Bushfires Burning Bushy Schools 

Fire they say is a good servant but a bad master. Following the shutting down of many schools in the restive two English speaking regions of Cameroon by proponents of Ambazonia independence to enforce school boycott so that the state will quickly yield to their independence quest, many school buildings especially those in rural areas have remained deserted.  

Before, the separatists fighters were accused of burning down schools. The practice later subsided but of recent school buildings have again started catching fire. We are in the dry season, a period when most persons take pleasure in burning bushes. Ironically, administrative areas like Up Station in Bamenda and Government Residential Area (G.R.A) Mbengwi  are often the first areas to be burnt right to the surroundings of buildings hosting ministerial delegations like environment, nature protection and sustainable development.

Mr. Foncham Elias, Principal, GBHS Mbengwi Assessing Damage Caused by Bushfire in his School

Consequently, hundreds of school structures are now in the wild and in most cases, grass has grown taller than the buildings that are now occupied by rodents. According to a BBC report, "The United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef, says the ban on education has affected about 600,000 children, with more than 80% of schools shut and at least 74 schools destroyed in the troubled regions."

On the Friday the 14th of February 2020, part of Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Mbengwi was burnt down. Bushfire set from afar had to encroach right to the school campus and engulfed part of the buildings. The school has for over two years now been deserted; no teachers, no students, only a couple of security guards. Days after the incidence, pictures of the school principal, Mr. Foncham Elias Kimbeng evaluating the damage caused appeared on social media. 

Part of CCAST Bambili in Flames

Not long after this fire incidence, another one occurred. On Monday February 17th, part of  Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology (CCAST) Bambili also got consumed by a bush fire that stemmed from nearby. If not of the collective efforts of inhabitants around the area and the fire fighting brigade that drove in from Bamenda to contain the flames, the entire structure would've been down.

These two latest reported incidences depict the danger awaiting most of the deserted school buildings surrounded by thick, tall grasses and trees. Day by day, bushfires are being set here and there and considering that most schools are located in isolated areas, it is feared more are still to be burnt and villagers may only discover the damage days after.

Deserted Government Primary School, Wumsom in Mbengwi Risks Being Burnt

To prevent such from further occurrences, while waiting for a full resumption of schools and functioning as before the crisis, for the time being, villagers should be encouraged to farm around school buildings. Though created on paper by government, most of these school sites were allocated by the communities and structures erected still by them through Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs). Thus same community efforts must be implored to safeguard the buildings.

The villagers should mobilise themselves and clear the school surroundings or labour should be hired to do so. The government too should seat up and put in place preventive measures to secure her schools probably by contracting workers to clear round all government schools in the two regions. The population needs to be more vigilante and  immediately raise an alarm in case a school building is being engulfed by flames. Sensitization talks on the disadvantages of burning bushes should be intensified and culprits brought to book to serve as lesson to deter others from destroying the environment.

Race to Mbengwi Council's Top Seat Begins

Race to Mbengwi Council's Top Seat Begins

After the February 9th 2020 twin elections in Mbengwi, though voting was mostly done by the military and administration, though the exercise was heavily boycotted, though armoured cars were used to smuggle in most of the aspiring councillors from Bamenda and other towns where they've been "hiding", one fact became obvious, that the CPDM emerged the victor. The party stood unchallenged as the SDF and APF party that jointly shared the council before with the CPDM never went in for the municipals. The hitherto tripartite Mbengwi council is now completely a CPDM run council.

Every finish line is the beginning of a new race. After winning the council de facto, the next challenge now is to extract a mayor out of the 25 councillors. As the countdown to elect a new mayor for the Mbengwi council narrows, so too are the stakes expanding and anxiety increasing. Mbengwi Online has learnt that there are three aspirants to the top seat; the female incumbent and two other male challengers.

Mbengwi Council Building

Even though most of the councillors disappeared from public view after the voting exercise, there are indications serious underground talks, consultations, lobbying and wooing are ongoing. The party is said to now be in camps based on which aspiring mayor each councillor is backing. Calls, text and WhatsApp messages plus mouth to mouth discussions are communication means derived by the aspirants to canvas for support. Non of the trio is sleeping. 

The situation becomes more complex because of the top. In the past, the then Minister of Arts and Culture, Ama Tutu Muna, the first ever female minister from the North West region was a strong mover and shaker of the CPDM political game in the Momo East Constituency especially  Mbengwi. There are people in high and low places today because of her. Like the French say, "Chacun a son tour chez le coiffeur". On October 2nd 2015, she was sacked through a cabinet reshufflement and Mbah Acha Rose was appointed as Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Supreme State Control, the second female minister from the NW region. Like her predecessor, she too comes from the Momo East Constituency and by default will obviously have that strong influence on who will be where. 

The councillors have their individual choices but at the same time know that once party hierarchy says dance this way, they'll have no choice again. So while campaigning to be mayor, the three aspirants are also making sure their relationship with the minister is convivial. Fortunately or unfortunately good relationships ought to have been built before, not now. It is only speculated that the minister will influence the councillor's choice of their mayor. She may still  hands off the exercise and give the councillors the leeway to decide. Mbengwi Online is following.

School Attendance on Speedy Increase in the NW

School Attendance on Speedy Increase in the NW

Parents, teachers and students in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon have been overcoming fear and as such, school attendance is on a speedy increase

One of the worst decisions ever taken by advocates of secession in Cameroon to form a pseudo nation of Ambazonia was to shutdown schools across the NW/SW regions. The decision was objected nationally and internationally and though in some areas, threats, intimidations, kidnaps and burnings were used by the none state armed groups to enforce it, many a person had to fight back through physical and online campaigns educating proponents of school boycott to realise that by shutting down schools, they're shooting themselves in the leg and losing support plus legitimacy of their demands.

Thousands of pupils and students watching a football match at launching ceremony

Parents, teachers and students were also schooled on the need to take their destiny into their hands and realise that no one has the right to trample on another person's right to education. Before long, many schools began forcefully reopening their doors, many pupils, students and teachers regained the school roads and seeing the determination in them, the agents of school boycott had no option than to pipe down and respect the will of the people.

Today across the NW/SW regions, hundreds of thousands of pupils, students and teachers are going to school. Even in the hinterlands alerged to be strongholds of the restoration forces, schools are functioning. A massive increase in enrollment has been reported during this second term of the academic year as some who were still doubting finally realised the need to jump on the education bandwagon. Cases too have been reported of parents who had enrolled their kids in the francophone regions bringing them back to school in the NW/SW.

In Bamenda, headquarters of the NW region, the recent impressive attendance at a ceremony to launch activities for the forthcoming 54th edition of the National Youth Day was a clear indication of how the educational sector in the region is bouncing back to normalcy in full gear. It was on Tuesday February 4th 2020 at Government Primary School, Up Station that North West governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique, represented by Viang Mekala, Secretary General at the governor's office presided over the launching ceremony.

Viang Mekala, S.G at NW Governor's Office

Before the advent of the Anglophone Crisis, youth week used to be one of the high points of the academic calendar highly cherished by pupils and students as it involved inter school competitions in sporting activities, choral singing, traditional dance and other fun filled competitions. For long, such died down because of the crisis but the recent ambiance that raised dust at Up Station proved the contrary, that normalcy is returning.

The 54th edition of the national youth day shall be celebrated on Tuesday 11 February 2020 under the theme "Youth, peace, decentralization and participation in local governance for a new Cameroon. It is expected to bring together educational stakeholders, parents, teachers, pupils, students and the public at large to exercise their civic responsibilities and acquire information on the efforts the state is making to ensure their harmonious and responsible integration into the socioeconomic and political fabric.

Exhibition during launching

After regaining the schools, the population has of recent in collaboration with the state been strategising on how to re-boom the economy  by ending ghost towns and lockdowns that have gone a long way to crumble the economy of the two affected regions especially that of the NW  thereby causing backbreaking pain on the citizens instead of liberating them from bondage as they were promised from the beginning of the struggle.