Cameroon:Political uncertainty link silence over November session of Nat’l Assembly?

President Biya’s long absence abroad has disorganised government’s work in no small way. It has caused delay in drafting the 2009 budget which is in turn responsible for the delay in summoning the November session of the National Assembly. Till when?

By Roland Akong Wuwih in Yaounde

President Paul Biya’s unprecedented 45-day stay out of the country appears to have caused uncertainty over the government’s programme of activities. The president’s absence may have caused a delay in the drafting of the 2009 budget which is examined by the National Assembly.
By law, the Assembly should meet for the November budget session on the first Tuesday of November which was this week. The announcement convening the session is by law made at least 10 days before it is convened.

At the National Assembly, there was no explanation as to the delay, not even MPs are able to tell what is happening.
Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, speaker of the National Assembly, is on official mission in South Africa, but his absence cannot hold back the statutory opening of the session which can always be chaired by his assistant or the eldest member of the Assembly.

It is believed that it is the delay in putting together the draft budget that is responsible for the silence over November’s opening of the National Assembly.