Lapiro de Mbanga (Ndinga Man) and Paul Biya: Populism under an Autocratic regime.

Lapiro de Mbanga, aka Ndinga Man, the poster boy for victims of Paul Biya's strong-handed methods still languishes in a rat-infested Cameroon jail, while the president reins in all opposition to his 29 year rule. How he has managed to survive for so long under the same conditions that killed journalist BIBI NGOTA is a miracle.

LAPIRO stands accused of orchestrating nationwide riots in February 2008 that almost cost Biya the presidency. How the Denim-clad and Ray-Ban wearing Tara from the politically restive Mbanga could have mustered the power to coordinate nationwide protests without any formal organization is baffling. To put it simply, it is impossible and Lapiro is innocent.

To back this point, a quick look at the prevailing alimentary uncertainty in Africa and other less developed nations throughout the world during the cited period shows that there was widespread unrest.

True to form, in Cameroon, Biya used the tried and tested technique of the seasoned African strongman, just like Robert MUGABE would - he looked for a scapegoat to throw in jail. Lapiro had the misfortune to have been the one in Biya's sights. Others, such as the elected mayor of Mbanga also faced the same plight.

While Biya and his vast retinue of friends and henchmen may make numerous trips abroad to spend money collected from oil drilled from Cameroon's coast and the royalties from the Chad-Cameroon pipeline, his jailing of a popular icon like Lapiro will not so soon or quickly be forgotten by the people.

Lapiro, the head of a modest family, has had the singular misfortune of being misunderstood, first by the masses, then, by the Biya regime which has been in power for over a quarter of a century in CAMEROON.

In 1992, during the stormy days of the "Villes Mortes", his vehicle was burned down by rioters who reacted on suspicion that LAPIRO may have colluded with the Biya administration to calm down unemployed youths known as "NANGA MBOKO"s who controlled the streets.

Then again, when Biya's bad policies for the past quarter century reached a tipping point in 2008, it was Lapiro once more who was indexed as the spiritual LEADER of the "NANGA MBOKO"s who seized control of the streets.

In a way, it has been seen that Lapiro has a very popular appeal amongst the unemployed youth, many of whom were born after his best days as an artist in the mid-eighties were long gone. So, when the streets are on fire, Lapiro is to blame! What better way to keep things under control than to can the man?

For better or worse, Lapiro, with the connivance of the ineptitude of Biya and his henchmen, has become the symbol of the oppressed in Cameroon. He has also grown into the role pretty well. Who wouldn't, after passing on the BALANCOIR a couple of times and seeing others like BIBI NGOTA die in jail.

He has nothing to lose. The man exudes confidence despite his suffering. With presidential elections due this year (2011) in Cameroon, it is impossible for him to be freed. Ditto for 2012 as the newly re-elected Paul Biya won't want anyone to question his stolen victory.

So, the earliest LAPIRO can be released from jail in Cameroon will be 2013. He will probably seek to stand for elections as municipal councilman, mayor or parliamentarian. Whatever he chooses, he will win the popular vote, and that will be a good thing, not only in and of itself, but especially because any vote for LAPIRO will indeed be a vote AGAINST BIYA.

So, to conclude, LAPIRO is absolutely relevant to this year's presidential elections in Cameroon, and he has excellent pro-democracy credentials, having endured extraordinary rendition under Biya's regime, and thank God - survived. Few have lived to tell what lurks in New Bell and Kondengui, today's equivalents of Tchollire under the Nazi-styled Ahidjo regime which did to the Bamilekes what may have amounted to a silent genocide. Cameroonians should be thankful he is still alive. It will be a beautiful day when he is released from jail, but the fight will continue until Biya retires to Switzerland where he has elected residence.

Until then, we can only ponder some of the wise words from Lapiro - "OVER DONE NA MBOUT" which would translate very loosely as "it may not be a good thing to be wiser than ones self". (I may need a hand here).

Happy New Year Lapiro!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Cameroon 2011: Kah Walla's options against the Fru Ndi - Biya Coalition

With presidential elections to be held this year in Cameroon, the horse trading is now in full swing.
Paul Biya, the incumbent made the first few moves. He announced he will be going to Bamenda for the anniversary of the armed forces. Then he met with and shook hands with his erstwhile nemesis, Fru Ndi. Since then, it has been hands holding and Khumbaya singing between the two.

Don't be fooled. Fru Ndi actually has little to bring to the table. He is currently embroiled in a court case that has been shifted to the back burner so long as he plays nice with Biya. So, what may seem as Fru Ndi accepting Biya's overtures, is simply the icing on the cake. Biya essentially has Fru Ndi canned. The SDF has no option but to join Biya's next government under a coalition.

To consummate this new-found love, about two to three SDF bureau members will be admitted into Biya's next government, and handed inconsequential portfolios like the ministry of culture, or ministry of women's affairs. This is crucial, because this is the government that will be expected to rally the population and hand what would seem in the eyes of the international community, a slightly credible victory. For the Fru Ndi-Biya coalition in 2011.

So this leaves Kah Walla to fight these two elderly men who love power so much, preach democracy but don't want to relinquish leadership to a younger, dynamic and astute younger leadership to move Cameroon on par with nations like Ghana.

So, the best bet for Kah Walla, and the millions of disenfranchised in Cameroon may be if all major opposition voices aligned behind Kah Walla, to mount a counter-force to the Fru Ndi-Biya coalition.

It is no easy task, as the egos of some individuals will blind them to the ultimate goal which is to remove Biya, and weaken the Fru Ndi-Biya coalition.

It can be done. We just need to believe it can be done. Then register. Then vote for anything other than Fru Ndi - Biya. Life can only get better under another president.

Paul Biya and Fru Ndi belong to the 20th century. Kah Walla belongs to the twenty-first century.

Birds of the same feather will always flock together, and politics is no exception to this rule. They will still flock together, just like the autocratic Fru Ndi and Biya Paul, even when they are about to be voted out like may be the case in 2011 in Cameroon.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Cameroon in 2011

On January 05th 2011, Paul Biya, president of the republic of Cameroon for the past 29 years received new year wishes from diplomats and dignitaries.

What stood out was the presence of erstwhile opposition leader Fru Ndi in the Unity Palace. As yours truly earlier remarked in this blog, Cameroon no longer has an opposition party. So 2011 marks the end of the SDF being an opposition party, leaving a large void in the political arena in Cameroon.

This year, expect "operation Epervier" to slow down. The arrest of Yves Michel Fotso proved the point that you cannot be too wealthy or powerful in an African state like Cameroon that operates under the radar of Western Watchdogs.

The SDF will enter the next government, with Joshua Ossih picked as minister over the contentious Mbah Ndam. Fru Ndi will wait for the application decree of the Senate and hopes to get a seat (and immunity) in that chamber.

Cavaye Yegiue Djibrill will remain speaker of the parliament. For those who think the North has been forgotten, take a quick look at the budget of the National Assembly. Cavaye is fine, and will rally his people together with Ahmadou Ali to vote for the CPDM coalition.

Peter Agbor Tabi will become prime minister, as some of the youth in Kupe Manenguba and Manyu become more critical of government negligence in the province. Professor agbor Tabi is soft-spoken, and commands respect among a large swath of the country. He also has a proven and hard to beat track record as chancellor of the university of Yaounde 1, and minister of Higher Education. He will bring in the South West vote.

The pending dam projects (about 3 major ones as of this writing) for which money has been raised will not start in 2011 as the country will be in full electoral swing.

2011 will also be the year when at least ninety percent of ministers will be seen dancing on TV to rally their constituents.

Cameroon will still resist efforts to have radar equipment installed to view and control air traffic around Douala and Yaounde airports. The reason will be no one wants to have a record of planes landing at sea and dropping off or picking up contraband destined for latin America. The skies will be unsafe for passengers, but someone at the civil aviation authority will be making serious money to block installation of such equipment.

Kah Walla will become the main opposition to the Biya-Fru Ndi coalition. She will lose the election but have a higher national and international profile for standing up to the two old men (Biya and Fru Ndi).

Hon. Ayah Paul Abine will continue his activism but will not gain traction. The press will randomly pick on his nuggets of wisdom such as pointing out that the restrictive rules endorsed by the CPDM could come back to bit them if they happen to lose power, but for the large part, he will stay a one man operation.

Atanga Nji will use money and other means to personally quell the SCNC activism. Expect secessionists to get wealthy overnight as they are bought over. The story of South Sudan is too real and too close. It could happen to the former West Cameroons and Paul Biya needs the oil money.

Happy new year all and May God bless our beautiful country - Cameroon!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Kah Walla and the Cameroon Tea Party Movement

A lot of movement has taken place in Cameroon since Ms Kah Walla announced her candidacy for the presidency of the republic. For one, it seems to have spurred incumbent regime head, Paul Biya and his henchmen. If Kah's historic run at the finish has only this as its achievement, then it would have been a good experience for Cameroon as a whole.

Shortly after independence, president of the Federal Republic of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo banned political parties and the Cameroon National Union (CNU) was the lone authorized. Things remained pretty much the same, with a change of name to the Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement (CPDM) to mark the Ahidjo-Biya transition in the early eighties of last century.

When John Fru Ndi launched the SDF in 1990, it marked the return to multi party politics in Cameroon.

Paul Biya and John Fru Ndi have both revealed to Cameroonians their heavy- handed methods, and like birds of a feather, got together two weeks ago in Bamenda. There is no room for opposition or a different opinion to the wishes of these two men. And thus, Cameroon suffered, children died from curable illness while the president has his kids treated in foreign hospitals. Kids study in the open air while the Biya kids ride in a jet to school. Yet he gets to rule the lives of millions of Cameroonians. It is an inconvenient arrangement which was bound to be short-lived.

So step in Ms Kah Walla. She provides an alternative to the two henchmen who still have vestiges of colonial heavy handedness deeply entrenched in their ways.

She is the head of the Cameroonian Tea Party. A third pathway to the presidential palace at Etoudi. Since she launched her campaign, Biya has done what would normally take a decade to accomplish. He has created a full-fledged University, and is actively seeking funds for the Ring-Road (and presidential campaign?). He also appointed officials to head the Bamenda University.

The tea party is comprised of the rural women, unemployed youths, the poor, weak, and disenfranchised in Cameroon. In other words, those who have had it tough under the Biya regime - which is most Cameroonians. Looking at the Tea Party constituency, it is no surprise Ms Kah is generating such a buzz. She is within striking distance of Etoudi. She is young, eloquent, well connected locally and internationally, and speaks for the masses. She grew and still lives in Cameroon, as opposed to Biya who prefers Switzerland and all his children have foreign passports.

The Cameroon Tea Party Movement headed by Ms Kah Walla will likely rout Biya and his henchmen in the 2011 presidential elections. It will be all the better for Cameroonians, both at home and abroad. She needs all the help she can get to achieve this.
In 2011, "BIYA Must GO"
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T