By Walter Wilson Nana
Friday, November 6 2009 was twenty-seven years since President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon came to the helm of power.
November 4 1982, Cameroon’s first President, after independence, El Hadj Ahmadou Ahidjo, took many by surprise and announced his resignation from power on the national radio. Two days later, November 6 1982, Ahidjo, proclaimed his constitutional successor, Paul Biya, then Prime Minister of Cameroon, the new President of the country. Since November 6 1982, President Biya had been at the fore of constitutional and political power in Cameroon. An attempted coup d’état in 1984 saw President Biya resurfaced stronger and determined to hang on to power in Cameroon. He has also won the subsequent Presidential elections in Cameroon, though opposition leaders claim they were rigged. President Biya’s party, Cameroon Peoples Democratic Party, CPDM, have in many occasions dominated the political scene in Cameroon, especially at the parliamentary and local elections. Some international observers say the elections were free and fair, though some lapses were recorded but opposition parties, described some of the elections as marred with fraud.
Friday, November 6 2009 was twenty-seven years since President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon came to the helm of power.
November 4 1982, Cameroon’s first President, after independence, El Hadj Ahmadou Ahidjo, took many by surprise and announced his resignation from power on the national radio. Two days later, November 6 1982, Ahidjo, proclaimed his constitutional successor, Paul Biya, then Prime Minister of Cameroon, the new President of the country. Since November 6 1982, President Biya had been at the fore of constitutional and political power in Cameroon. An attempted coup d’état in 1984 saw President Biya resurfaced stronger and determined to hang on to power in Cameroon. He has also won the subsequent Presidential elections in Cameroon, though opposition leaders claim they were rigged. President Biya’s party, Cameroon Peoples Democratic Party, CPDM, have in many occasions dominated the political scene in Cameroon, especially at the parliamentary and local elections. Some international observers say the elections were free and fair, though some lapses were recorded but opposition parties, described some of the elections as marred with fraud.
As President Biya celebrates 27 years at the pinnacle of power in Cameroon, some Cameroonians think that it is time for him to quit the stage. But President Biya, in an unprecedented move and for the first time, has written a letter for Cameroonians. The Presidential letter, for strategic move has been published in four private daily newspapers in Cameroon. These include; Mutations, Le Jour, Nouvelle Expression and Le Messager. The national bilingual daily, Cameroon Tribune, sponsored by the tax payers in Cameroon, also carried the letter from President Biya to Cameroonians.
Reading through Mr. Biya’s mail to his compatriots, one gets out with the conclusion that he is appealing to Cameroonians to give attention to his candidature come 2011 for the next Presidential elections in Cameroon. Some private newspapers in Cameroon have seen in the Biya letter as a launch of his Presidential campaigns, as Cameroonians look forward to the 2011 Presidential polls.
Across Cameroon are widespread celebrations by militants and sympathisers of the CPDM party, whom some observers say they have hijacked the festivities marking President Biya’s 27 years in power. “The celebrations should be for all Cameroonians and not only for the CPDM party cohorts. Biya is President for all Cameroonians and not for the CPDM party or militants,” a Cameroonian commented.
