Dear Mr President,
The Constitution is the supreme law of the State. The Constitution is an all embracing, permanent, immutable body of rules which regulates the government of the State and guarantees the rights, freedoms, and duties of citizens. Its provisions have the force of law and are binding on all institutions of government, the President, parliament, Judiciary, and all citizens of the country. In fact, the Constitution as the supreme law of the State, is at one and the same time a legal document, which judges interpret, the blue print of a machine which warring parties may draw their texts, and a shrine where resides most, if not all, of the political values which the nation cherishes.
When the President is sworn into power, he swears to uphold and defend the Constitution.
When soldiers make a coup d’etat, the first thing they do is to abolish the constitution, they abolish the presidency, (in many cases they kill the president) they abolish parliament, the judiciary, and rule by marshal law. Under marshal law, all rights and freedoms of citizens are suspended.
Civilian Dictators and tyrants act in the same way as military dictators, the only difference is that civilian dictators, who eventually become life presidents, do so in a more subtle manner.
The colonial masters left their colonies with a multiple political system of government, but shortly after independence, the new native presidents, abolished political parties and adopted the one party system, following the communist system. The one-party system then bred the life presidents, who were re-elected with monotonous regularity.
With the fall of the Communist Soviet Union and the gradual introduction of Democracy globally by the United States of America and Europe, the one –party State disappeared and with it, most of the life president despots.
In Cameroon, Ahidjo left Biya with the one-party state- the CNU and Biya continued it under the new name –CPDM.
Even though, Biya had all power because there was no opposition party in the country, he was forced by the Cameroon people aided by the International Community, to allow multi-party politics in Cameroon. Biya devised a crafty means of staying in power even with a multi-party situation. He made sure that he was never defeated in any election by conducting the elections himself through his appointed Minister of Territorial Administration.
By refusing to appoint an Independent Electoral Commission, Biya has always been declared winner in all elections. In this way, Biya was sure to be a life President in Cameroon.
But then pressure was mounted on him from the International Community and from honest patriotic Cameroonians, for transparency and democracy.
Biya went to the Cameroon Constitution to give himself legitimacy to stay in power for another 14 years. He was certain that he would not last more than 14 years, so he amended the constitution to say that the President can only be elected for two terms of 7 years each, thereafter, he cannot stand for election again.
In 2007, Biya suddenly realized that he had made a serious error, to restrict his tenor of office to 2011, he called for parliamentary elections, to be conducted by his appointed Minister of Territorial Administration. He refused to appoint an Independent Electoral Commission to conduct the election, and massively rigged the election to give his Party more than 85% of the parliamentary seats.
Biya now wants to use this rigged majority, to amend the constitution again, by scrapping Article 6.2 of the constitution.
President Paul Biya, must be told in unmistakable words that he cannot be allowed to destroy the Constitution of Cameroon, and make it a tool in his hands. a thing which he can change at will, a thing he can manipulate at his convenience using his handclapping Parliamentarians
If Biya destroys the Constitution by ignoring it, abusing it or disrespecting it, then Biya has no legal or moral right to invoke the Constitution for his powers.
Biya can as well rule as a military dictator.
If Biya is allowed to amend the constitution at his convenience, then he is no more bound by the constitution.
Cameroonians will get up one day to find that their rights, duties and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution have been amended and abolished.
Even Religious bodies will be shocked to see amendments to the Constitution, banning them. Biya could amend the Constitution and legalize corruption and other abominations.
What will Biya not be capable of doing? He could amend the Constitution and abolish parliament and the Judiciary or any other organ of the government which is not conducive to him. Eventually he could abolish the Constitution itself.
If Biya has no regard for the supreme law of the State, then citizens have no legal or moral obligation to obey him. They will not have to pay taxes or perform their civic duties. The president will have to resort to force. He will be forced to rely on the army and security forces to rule, and eventually these forces too will overthrow him in a coup and rule by marshal law.
Cameroonians whether in the government party or in the opposition parties, must realize that this is a national issue and not a party issue.
The Constitution is above party politics, it is a question of our future and the future of our children and the future of our country.
We cannot allow President Biya to destroy this country. By 2011, Biya would have done nearly 30 years in ruling Cameroon. Our life style has grown from bad to worse. Our country is getting poorer and poorer every day. Our future is at stake. Enough is enough.
Biya must go in 2011.
If President Paul Biya is blinded by his inordinate ambition to die as life president of Cameroon, then he will find Cameroon ungovernable in his last days.
Cameroonians challenge Paul Biya, to call for a referendum to amend the Constitution. A referendum to be conducted by an Independent Body.
Mr. President please note that Cameroonians will not allow you to become life president. You must go on or before 2011.
The day that Biya sends a Bill to Parliament to amend the Constitution, so that he can continue to rule after 2011, the CDP will join all Cameroonians, (in CPDM and opposition parties), to make Cameroon ungovernable for Biya
Mr. President, the whole country will rise up against you.
May God save Cameroon.
By A.S Ngwana.
Chairman, CDP
Posts
2 comments:
You look at Kenya today, a country that until a few months ago was being hailed as East Africa's largest and most progressive economy. Greed and stupidity made Kibaki plunge Kenya into another long list of Africa's nightmarish stories. Not to talk of puuting his own people kikuyu's lives in substantial danger. I suspect and quite frankly fear the same for Cameroon. Citizens need to be careful when taking back their land and rights from this asshole called Biya.
You are right man.
Post a Comment