Political Mounts Around President Biya

Associations are increasingly manifesting support for the Head of State as the 2011 presidential election approaches.

A year to the holding of the 2011 presidential election in Cameroon, many associations and groups are increasingly calling on incumbent President Paul Biya to stand as their candidate in the election. The various associations and supporters of President Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement CPDM) are making good use of the amended constitution that provides that the term of office to the presidency of the Republic is limitless.

The ruling CPDM from the helm down to the grassroots supporters have not only intensified calls for President Biya to stand as their candidate for the 2011 election but are on the field mobilising members to enrol their names in the voters register and vote for the party’s candidate. The Secretary General of the CPDM Central Committee, René Sadi is currently holding consultation meetings with members of the party’s political bureau. The consultation meetings have come on the heels of a similar consultation with substantive members of the CPDM Central Committee nationwide. The ultimate goal of the consultation meetings is to measure the strength of the party, its problems and prepare to give its candidate a landslide victory as has been the case in previous elections since the re-introduction of multi-party politics in 1990. CPDM grassroots members and supporters from across the country and abroad have unequivocally in motions of support and in rallies called on President Biya to stand for the 2011 presidential poll as their natural candidate.

Support Associations

Associations and groups for the support of Paul Biya are being born as the election day approaches. Leaders of the associations put up patriotism as the bases for their actions but keen political observers associate the hustle and bustle around the Head of State to position themselves politically. The “Rassemblement pour la Majorité présidentielle” led by Philémon Ntyam Ntyam is probably the most recent Biya- support association. From yesterday October 13, the association is organising a one-month meeting in Yaounde with one of the main goals to get at least 300,000 adherents who will eventually register and vote for Biya in 2011. The new association comes to add to political parties of the presidential majority that have been voting for Biya since the 1992 presidential poll.

Cameroon’s traditional rulers whom some political observers argue are supposed to be non-partisan, last March 28 in Yaounde issued a message entitled, “Call in favour of President Paul Biya”. The custodians of the culture and traditions gathered under the banner of the National Council of Cameroon Traditional Rulers urged President Biya to stand as their candidate in the 2011 presidential poll. The Association of Friends of President Paul Biya (AMIBIP) with Daniel Mbock as the pioneer Executive President, on its part, last April 28 in Yaounde launched its activities. The stated reason for the association is to promote and defend the image of President Biya and all the ideals he stands for.

In the coming days political parties that had alliances and government platforms with the ruling CPDM such as the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP), the National Alliance for Democracy and Progress (NADP), Union des populations du Cameroun (UPC), for instance will have to make their positions known. In the past, some of them campaigned to vote for President Biya.

Emmanuel KENDEMEH