Opinion: A Political Commentator was fired for violating the Ghost of Geneva

“The French Cameroun political commentator had been invited to sing the normal CPDM praises on Biya who turned 89. However, the outspoken Dieudonne Essomba instead told the world via Club d’elites that Biya is now unable to lead Cameroon. Essomba furthered “At 89 years old, one cannot manage a country. Biya who is 89 years old is at 25% of his capacity.” (…) “In a statement published by the Groupe L’Anecdote accompanied by Essomba’s picture, Vision 4 said Dieudonne Essomba’s contract had been terminated. “We would like to advise the public that Dr. Dieudonne Essomba, who was a consultant, in the capacity of guest speaker in Club d’elites, is no longer a member of staff with immediate effect. Vision 4 disassociates itself completely with any statements, be they political or of any other nature, that he has made in the past or may make to the press in the future.” (Daily News Cameroon – ‘Who decides if President Biya is unfit to serve?’ 16.02.2022).

We know that Cameroonian President Paul Biya have been the President since 1982 and was the Prime Minister from 1975. With this knowledge, we know that Biya have been the head of state and the in the inner-circle since mid-70s. Biya has with this been 39 years in power or 471 months in office.

With this in mind… we know that Biya has had his time… and he could have expressed a fair successor or someone to takeover for him. Yes, we know the son Emmanuel Franck is in the works, but certainly the Republic of Cameroon isn’t a monarchy. Nevertheless, he hasn’t ensured that or made the preparations for it. As his family lives lavish in Geneva and only temporarily visit the republic now and then.

The ones to look out for and the ones who is really the driving force in this government. That isn’t the old and advanced aged Biya. It is true he doesn’t have the capacity and his busy eating in Switzerland anyway. So, there is other people who is running it for him.

These are most likely the likes of presidency’s secretary general, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh and minister of territorial administration, Paul Atanga Nji. The third fellow who could be recognized in Cameroon Joseph Dion Ngute. In this regard, the two first should be the ones to really look out for because they have real power and influence.

We are clearly seeing that the state is vindictive and reactive towards the dissenting voices. Which I am sure is a reflection of the sentiments in Cameroon. It isn’t like the ruling regime is delivering any sort of services or fruitful peace. There is still brewing conflict in the Anglophone region. Not like any of the conflict or lack of progress has been resolved. No, Biya has ruled with an iron fist from afar and that’s evident here.

That’s why the journalist who spoke out got fired and lost his job. Because, he dared to question the competence and ability of the ageing President, which anybody can understand. It is not like your growing stronger and has more abilities with advanced age. Instead your reflective mind stagnates and body winds down. That’s why retirement age is an important tool to ensure people are fit for the jobs they are working. The same should be for the heads of state too. As they are the representative and the executive with massive powers in a territory.

Biya is only prolonging the agony and there will only be more of this. It will not stop and people will question him even more. As his age and the ghosting from the Republic is so apparent. We know he lives most of his days in his “retirement” home in Switzerland. While other rules on his behalf in Cameroon. That’s why he could practically retire and let new blood rule the Republic. Since, he has served and his dictatorship should cease to exist. However, I know that is a dream, which is a nightmare for the family of Biya. Peace.

Opinion: 37 years of oppression under President [Tyrant] Paul Biya

Some days you wonder why people are celebrated. It is not like President Paul Biya of Cameroon have made himself awarded to be celebrated. His been in power for over 37 years now. Biya has ruled as the President in Cameroon since 6^th November 1982. That is before most of the citizens was even born.

While Biya and his wife is living lavish most of the year in Switzerland. Using the army to oppress the Anglophone and the regions on the daily. Many is mourning the rule and reign of the President. Whose destroy anyone trying to take away his crown. If htat was Ahidjo, Fru Ndi or Kamto. All of them are within the ring of fire. They are getting into legal jeopardy or arrested for standing up to the tyrant. Because, the rule of Biya can only be associated with a tyrant. Everything else seems to be to friendly. His not an giving uncle or grand-pa, no he takes and eats, starve the public, but let his loyalists die in office.

Ahidjo warning:

“The central figure in the emergence of an independent Cameroon was Ahmadou Ahidjo, who negotiated independence in 1960 and, as president, presided over unification in 1972. He retired in November 1982, and was immediately replaced by Prime Minister Paul Biya. In August 1983 President Biya disclosed a plot ”against the security of the republic.” Less than a week later, Mr. Ahidjo quit as head of the Cameroonian National Union and accused Mr. Biya of creating a police state” (Paul Lewis – ‘CAMEROON RADIO SAYS AN ATTEMPTED COUP HAS FAILED’ 07.04.1984, The New York Times).

Assessment of Biya:

“First, the Biya regime has continued to control the (shrinking) state resources, which enables it to buy the loyalty of the state elites and to co-opt some of the Opposition leaders into the hegemonie alliance. It also continues to control the forces of law and order, which enables it to intimidate and oppress the Opposition. Moreover, it continues to monopolize some pivotal mass communication media like the television, which enables it to preclude the Opposition parties from presenting their leaders and programmes to the public. Second, the Biya regime has continued to enjoy the firm support of the Beti elite who feared that their privileged access to state resources would come to an end with the Opposition parties’ seizure of power. Third,the Opposition parties seem hardly to differ from the ruling party, using similar ethno-client networks for the expansion of their power base. And, above all,their leadership is divided by personal and ethnic animosities” (Piet Konings – ‘The Post-Colonial State and Economic and Political Reforms in Cameroon’ 1996).

What the public will see of the 37 years:

“As Biya celebrates his 37th year in power today, millions of Cameroonians are mourning and cursing the hour to which they were born to such a destiny. Unemployment, diseases and corruption have blighted many lives in CRepuameroon. The country’s hospitals have been reduced to consultation clinics and the total lack of infrastructure in the country has made life very challenging for Cameroonians. Death and destruction seem to be constants in Cameroon” (Kingsley Betek – ‘Biya’s 37 Years in Power: How is the scorecard?’ 06.11.2019).

Cameroon has had two dictators Ahidjo and Biya, first two decades of Ahjidjo, then his successor Biya for 37 years. The people of Cameroon deserves someone who serves them and represent them. The President and his elite is self-serving. Biya is using the army and the police force to silence the ones standing up to him. His using the army to stop the Ambazonia and the Anglophone ones for speaking up. That is why ghost villages and ghost towns continues. Just like it did in the crisis of the early 1990s.

Biya doesn’t care and shouldn’t be celebrated. He learned from his predecessor and was his Prime Minister. His been the boss the all his life and his close to 90 years old now and doesn’t care how many people lives he hurts. As long as his wife gets expensive luxuries. That what matters to him. The Cameroonians are his peasants and France is supporting him, because they need him. That is why his not really criticised or questioned, because his loyal to Paris. That’s why Macron isn’t acting out, because his doing the bidding of the French in Cameroon. Even if it means destroying regions as a token of that.

Biya should have resigned a long time ago. His robbed the public from Fru Ndi John and Maurice Kamto. He will continue to rob people and expect people to praise him. That is the joyful tyranny of Biya. Peace.

Ex-President-for-life Jammeh finally into Exile after Peaceful transition yesterday!

“a :  the state or a period of forced absence from one’s country or home

b :  the state or a period of voluntary absence from one’s country or home”

(Meriam-Webster – Exile)

Yesterday was a special day in Banjul, as the incumbent President of 22 years we’re embattled and was besieged by ECOWAS troops, even Senegalese troops had driven around in the The Gambian Republic. This after ECOWAS had tried to mediate with the President Yayha Jammeh as he lost the election in the end of last year. The Declaration of 2^nd December gave the Opposition Coalition winner Adama Barrow, as the President we’re left more and more alone, as his legal advisors and cabinet resigned when the President himself order nation into ‘State of Emergency’ days before he was told to leave.

It must be a day of reflection today how the ECOWAS leadership mediated with Executive; they could be more violent and less straight forward. The reasoning with the other President in Alpha Conde from Guinea to mediate and be there as the leaving the republic where near. The conversation and discussion these big-men had must be legendary as Adama Barrow we’re waiting for the time for him to rein as the troops of ECOWAS was all around the Gambia.

The press and pundits we’re waiting all day, there we’re dozens of people waiting on the Yundum International Airports, as the convoy left the State House and then the Hotel. A Hotel the stayed at for hours. As the Opposition and now ruling regime that we’re in Dakar we’re obligated to say, that Jammeh we’re leaving and the final details we’re ironed out for him to go. Jammeh wouldn’t leave without his stolen wealth and gains for the two decades of rule. Ex-President Jammeh had to leave with the gravy and promises of not getting his crimes tried in court. That just the way the Executives execute their wishes, just the way Executives that lead business into bankruptcies as still getting heavy end-packages from the failing companies.

All of this was happening as the South African government and Botswana government didn’t recognize Jammeh as the Executive of Gambia anymore. The waiting yesterday was so long, like the man was thinking people wouldn’t execute the idea and get rid of him. Like he could salvage himself and still be the man. He leaves with wealth and security in a foreign nation. Where a fellow dictator can be his friend and can get use of his investment power. Surely Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea will enjoy having a golfing buddy that has also silently left the opposition in the wind in his days in power. Two friends who knows how to deal with dissident voices, difference is that Obiang still lingers on after a direct coup d’état against his Uncle, Jammeh left after keeping power since 1994.

Barrow will have to work hard to make sure procedure and government institutions are strengthen, as Jammeh has been all about him and his will. Now its different age and the longevity of somebody else should matter on consensus and building institutions of governance, accountability and transparency. None of that is easy, but that is the wishful tale of the Gambian Democracy.

Jammeh into exile isn’t new, that previous Presidents has ended that fate is old. Their hunger for power is eating nations into they are depleted and tired. Therefore the wish for any kind of other leadership ends with them either ending the life of the leader or them sending them far away. Jammeh is lucky who skate off to Equatorial Guinea. That he gets his wealth and his life. That he is not Courtside either in Banjul or at International Criminal Court in Hague in Netherlands. Jammeh could quickly get visitation cards and travel to answer for his crimes against humanity, as only in 2015 he let an opposition leader die inside his prison. That on his orders and his will. We the world will not forget the ones that died so you could stay in power. No matter what sort of island or what sort of lifestyle you have outside of Gambia.

We could look at others who had the same fate and see how easy Jammeh came out of it yesterday, he could have harder outcome and more costly. Some people might say it had been fair as he stole a nation for decades and ruled with an iron fist, with no mercy and therefore, why should the people show him mercy back?

Mengistu in Zimbabwe:

“Shockingly, Mengistu is alleged to have personally murdered opponents by garroting or shooting, saying that he was leading by example” (…) “Still, after his ouster, the government of Zimbabwe readily offered Mengistu sanctuary. Citing the Ethiopian dictator’s long standing friendship with President Robert Mugabe, Harare made it clear it would not extradite the exiled leader” (…) “For several years after first landing in Zimbabwe, Mengistu reportedly lived a lavish but reclusive life, amid fears over his safety. He resided in a posh Gunhill suburb in Harare. Much as Mengistu kept a low profile, many detested the fact that he was reportedly unrepentant about his past” (…) “In fact, in the very few interviews he gave to the Zimbabwean media, Mengistu said he had no regrets about his rule, arguing that he tried his best for Ethiopia. As matters turned out, not everybody agreed or was happy with Mengistu’s past and he constantly had to look over his shoulder” (Mwagiru, 2015).

Ahidjo in Senegal:

“Also to die in exile was former Cameroonian president Ahmadou Ahidjo, who after being deposed by President Paul Biya spent his remaining years moving between France and Senegal. He died of a heart attack in Dakar on November 30, 1989 and was buried there” (Mwagiru, 2015).

Just as you should know Jammeh took with 13 expensive luxurious cars in a Chadian Cargo Plane yesterday, as token for his gracious years in power of the country. He took with him other needed advisors too like: “Lt. Gen. Saul Badjie, head of the Republican National Guard; Lt. Gen. Umpa Mendy, Personal Protection Officer; Amadou Joof, a senior aide to First Lady Zineb Jammeh; Jimbe Jammeh, Senior Protocol Officer, some few soldiers and other officials who may be wanted” (…) “Those traveling with Jammeh are also taking their immediate families with them in exile” (Phatey, 2017). Surely this opens the window of further plans in the future to gain power again, if not make a Gambian village in Equatorial Guinea. This certainly proves that Jammeh elite has run with him and had to be covered in the agreement made between ECOWAS and Jammeh for him to able to step down.

What is positive is that even if Jammeh leaves with a lavish lifestyle he hasn’t been promised or signed an agreement offering immunity. Therefore his past can hunt him in the island paradise with his fellow elite. Jammeh can also by fellow allies of Gambia get him warranted to be tried in Banjul. That is depending on cases or filing of cases towards his time as the President.  That is only time can tell, but now the importance is what Barrow and his regime will do. What Barrow will put in play and how he will be leading the Gambian Republic! That is up to Barrow and what sort of leader he is. Peace.

Reference:

Mwagiru, Ciugu – ‘The often sordid history of toppled and exiled African leaders’ (23.04.2015) link:   http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/magazine/Exiled-African-leaders–A-curse-or-justice-/434746-2694838-256568/index.html

Phatey, Sam – ‘Gen. Badjie, other close aides gone into exile with Jammeh’ (21.01.2017) link: https://gambia.smbcgo.com/2017/01/21/gen-badjie-close-aides-gone-exile-jammeh/