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| President Paul Biya |
Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya, has appointed a new
Divisional Officer (DO) to replace the abducted administrator of Batibo as well
as others to fill positions abandoned by their predecessors due to insecurity
in the Anglophone Regions.
The
President made the decision on Wednesday, September 19, 2018, just four days
after returning from China. According to the Presidential decrees, Kwandze
Ernest Kari, is the new DO for Batibo in replacement of Namata Diteng Joseph,
who was abducted by members of the Ambazonia Defence forces on February 11.
The new
DO is not new to the violence as he is coming from Mbengwi, which has also been
engulfed in violence.
Unlike
other administrative text of appointments, the decree replacing Namata did not state
his mutation after leaving the post; whether he is retired, transferred or
death. Paul Biya strategically left it blank even though in July the Minister
of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, announced to the family of
Namata that he has been killed somewhere around Nigeria. However, when the
family asked the Minister to narrate the circumstances leading to his death and
produce the corpse, the Minister was dumfounded.
Still in
the North West, the President replaced the DOs of Kumbo in Bui division and
Njinikom in Boyo as well as the two enclaves Sub-divisions of Ako and Misaje
which borders Nigeria. All these areas have been hotspots for Ambazonia
fighters with fighting almost on daily bases.
In the
South West Region, Alou in Lebialem Division was touched as well as Upper
Bayang in Manyu and Dikome Balue in Ndian. Some of the most hardened Ambazonia
fighters in the Region are lodged in these Sub-divisions, especially Kaw Kaw in
Dikome Balue, which has become an altar of bloodbath especially when the
military burned down houses at the beginning of the year. Since then, the DO
has vacated the area.
The
decree is coming less than two weeks after a similar order was signed by the
Secretary General at the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, giving DOs three days
to regain their abandoned areas of jurisdiction.
Among
them was the DO of Dikome who has been replaced as well as those of Menchum
Division. It is still unclear whether these administrative heads rejected the
call from Ngoh Ngoh which is why they have been replaced.
Generally,
most of the administrators of these areas have longed abandoned their duty
posits especially as State authority is at its lowest there. In some of these
areas, the few remnants of human life are subjected to laws imposed by
Ambazonia fighters.
With
their very enclave and native nature, fighters who master the terrain operate
almost unperturbed. It would be a daunting task to see these men installed and
take up residence in these areas. On May 20, just about five soldiers braved
the odds to stage a few seconds march pass in front of the DO in Upper Bayang,
who was heavily surrounded by military men in combat ready gear. There were no
civilians, not even service heads of the Sub-division.
The
newly appointed DOs were all serving in various capacities in the same Division
and Region which is never the case in the past. Paul Biya in other words is
merely using people who are used to the area and most of them being
Anglophones. All of the administrators were previously subordinates to their
bosses and Paul Biya did not bother to replace them in their preceding
functions, a sign that the President does not want to inject fresh blood, but
to continue with those who have been there from the beginning of the conflict.
Other
administrative heads were appointed for Sub-divisions in the Adamawa, Centre,
Far North, North and South Regions. In all, 17 Divisional Officers were
appointed. Another Presidential decree also appointed a Secretary General at
the South West Governor’s Office.
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