Barack Obama’s inaugural address following his swearing-in last week gave hope and inspiration to Cameroonians who were much delighted to understand that the new tenant of the White House has made political change in Africa one of his priorities. He should know that Paul Biya will be 79 in 2011 and it is then that he intends to assume yet another seven-year term following a change in the constitution last year that took off term limits. Cameroon’s economy is far from being a success. Cameroonians have endured unimaginable hardship for all of Paul Biya’s 26 years in office so far as a direct consequence of wrong policies. Below is the letter to President Obama
Dear President Obama,
Like millions of Cameroonians and Africans, we of this newspaper extend you hearty congratulations on your swearing-in last week as the 44th US president.
Thanks to global media we are fully aware of the urgency with which you and your collaborators are already tackling the huge and pressing problems of the US economy; the two US wars abroad as well as the long-drawn and thorny Middle East problem. And much more.
The challenges are monumental but you have vowed to resolve them all in good time. We sincerely believe you. Your electoral campaign is the evidence. The road was long, the odds too many and sometimes almost impossible, but “yes we can”, and there you are.
One of your major foreign policy objectives is to reassert America’s leadership of the free world which has been severely compromised over most of the last decade.
Within this broad policy perspective we know that you are particularly concerned about Africa whose socio-economic development continues to suffer a setback due to eternal problems of governance.
We could perceive how that pain found its way into your inaugural speech, short as it was, on January 20.
“To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history.” You nevertheless promised to extend a hand of friendship to such men if only they would “unclench” their fists.
Terse as that was, your message was well understood and instantly became a source of inspiration and hope among the forces of democracy in Cameroon who are now eager for follow-up action.
Though your words were directed generally to African countries and beyond, don’t be surprised President Obama to learn that they fit Cameroon so exactly as if you had only Cameroon in mind.
Surely you know that Cameroon has been ruled by Paul Biya continuously for 26 years. Last year he used parliament to take off term limits from the constitution in order to extend his mandate that expires in 2011.
The move was extremely unpopular but the president had his way all the same. Parliament is hand-picked; opposition parties exist but in name; and the courts are under the president’s direct control.
Paul Biya can expect to win the next election because election management, like every institution, is under his control. Every single election, presidential or legislative, since October 1992 has been a deceit forced down the peoples’ throats, irrespective of protests.
In 1990 a one-party dictatorship was changed into a multiparty system which promised competitive politics along with the democratic institutions that should have made it functional. But as soon as Paul Biya saw his power slipping away, he quickly reneged on the change.
Well-entrenched
In the absence of opposition and credible elections the regime has become well-entrenched. No doubt Paul Biya who will be 79 in 2011 still projects another seven-year term, and why not another again!
Had the regime’s unflattering governance record been balanced by a defendable economic record there would be some argument in its favour. Isn’t it remarkable that the miracle economies of the SE.Asian tigers were produced almost without exception by heavy-handed rulers?
But the government’s unwillingness to modernise political institutions is compounded by a stagnant, if not regressive, economy. All economic growth is the result of sustained and prioritised investment. Bold and ambitious nation-building is the work of a highly nationalistic and committed leadership.
Cameroon has vast natural resources and sufficiently trained man-power. And, unlike many other African countries, Cameroon has enjoyed remarkable peace. The sure conclusion for its failure is that Paul Biya has not provided the strong development-oriented leadership that Cameroon very much needed in the last two-and-a-half decades.
A simple example drives home the point. In its nearly 50 years of independence Cameroon has only managed to build ten percent or less of its road infrastructure. That translates to about 5,000 kms out of an estimated 50,000 kms of the country’s road grid.
Even then only about 3,000 kms are presently useable, the rest having become badly deteriorated through neglect by the government. Given the capital importance of a dependable all-seasonal road network because of its overall effect on any country’s development it is easy to appreciate the government’s inability to master the country’s resources for its development.
By contrast Angola that began to develop its road infrastructure only in 2002 following the end of a destructive 30-year civil war had to its credit by mid-2008 more than 2,600 kms of excellent modern roads with a good third of that dual carriage ways.
Cameroon’s manifest lack of development commitment combines, regrettably, with a destructive management culture of corruption and wide scale office abuse with impunity. The government’s machinery is grossly inefficient, and the authorities appear unwilling or helpless to correct that.
The annual World Bank survey on ease of doing business repeatedly ranks Cameroon among the worst on the globe. So do other international watchdogs on corruption, governance, human rights, etc. With such an unenviable record it is small wonder that Cameroon does not attract foreign direct investment.
President Obama, we do not think a letter is the place for a comprehensive review of the regime in Cameroon. Yet it is important for you and your new administration to know that Cameroonians are sick and tired of a regime that has caused them so much hardship and pain, all of which could have been avoided. And the regime plans to stay on indefinitely.
We thank you for your policy goal of striving for political change in Africa. We have no idea how you intend to go about that. Yet we feel certain that with strong and determined US leadership so much that is now not imaginable can change for the better.
Leadership vacuum
Given its many problems elsewhere, the previous administration in Washington clearly lacked the necessary leadership in Africa. In that vacuum we have seen a significant rise in flawed elections, mandate extensions and sitting tight against the will of the people.
In the last half century of independence in African countries irresponsible governments have been responsible for failed economic development. A staggering 650 billon USD is the estimated development aid made to Africa. Donors have since been asking what there is to show for that in Africa!
The approach in the last two decades or so to condition aid to good governance was good but was little respected. Moreover the old attitude of developed countries patronising some African countries as belonging to their spheres of influence only encouraged the same ills that created the problem of failed development.
In our humble opinion the problem of Africa’s development should now be approached as a global issue involving all stake-holders i.e. all bilateral and multilateral donor organisations and institutions working together.
That approach backed by the strong leadership of the US, we think, would stand a good chance of effecting desired change. No doubt there will be emphasis on transparent elections which we also think should be funded and closely monitored by the global community.
It should be absolutely possible for an African country to change its government through a justly conducted election. This is fundamental and non-negotiable.
In the mid-1980s it was accepted for the first time that where there was massive and intolerable abuse of fundamental human rights in any country the doctrine of non-interference in the affairs of a country was no longer tenable.
From that understanding the US entered Somalia and Ronald Reagan justified his bombing raid over Tripoli to check what he considered to be Lybia’s acts of terror.
Since then the world has become smaller thanks to globalisation in trade and culture. The global village has made Africa’s poverty and misery more and more of a scar on the global conscience.
One manifestation of that scar is the new scourge of clandestine immigration whereby unending droves of young Africans flee the hardship and hopelessness at home at great risk to life and limb for a better life abroad. Since the wars and misery that degrade Africa and its peoples are mostly the result of irresponsible government we believe it is time for the global community to justifiably take a close interest in government in Africa. Africans themselves have rendered the principle of non-interference, legitimate in many ways, no longer tenable. Here is mighty leverage!
No doubt, President Obama, these thoughts are completely without prejudice to yours and your administration’s approach to this matter. But be sure we are now eagerly waiting for your action for political change in Africa.
We bring this letter to a close congratulating you once again on your very bold and brave success at winning the presidency of the US following your heroic electoral campaign.
We also thank you for making Africa’s development one of your priority goals. Assured of your bold and determined leadership we too, oppressed as we are, can now summon The Audacity of Hope. Yes, we can!
We wish you and your family the very best.
Yours sincerely,
Boniface Forbin
Publisher/Editor,
The Herald
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