Here We Are in Buea!

SW CPDM Launch Biya’s Campaign amid threats

By Boris Esono in Buea

SW CPDM bigwigs at the launching of campaigns in the Buea Mountain Hotel

With barely 14 days to the October 7 presidential election the ruling CPDM party has launched its campaigns in the SWR-becoming the first party to launch campaigns in the trouble-stricken region.

            The Regional campaign rally took place last Sunday 23 September at the Buea Mountain Hotel with the theme: “Paul Biya: The Force of Experience.”

            In his presentation, the chairperson of the Regional Campaign Co-ordination, Peter Mafany Musonge said the limited number of contesting candidates, leaves one with the impression that the 2018 presidential election is the most competitive ever.

            But Musonge said the the reality is that the other candidates are day-dreamers and schemers whose principal aim is to build a national image for themselves.

            “Some are well-known old-timers with nothing credible to show in their past and present political life. Others are big-time amateurs and unknown quantities in the political arena,” Musonge said, prescribing door-to-door, neighbour-to-neighbour campaigns and the use of SMS when necessary.

            “We have to work in partnership with partner political parties that are canvassing support for president Biya ahead of the October 7 election,” Musonge added, calling on militants to work in peace and harmony in their various teams to give victory for the party.

            “Be consistent, focused and convincing in your message to the voters by proving that our candidate is the best in the presidential race. We have to project him as the best in order to win the hearts and minds of electors towards massively renewing their confidence in him”.

           

The Mayor of Buea, Ekema Patrick Esunge, was conspicuously present

The launch comes amidst threats from separatists who have taken arms to fight for the division of Cameroon.

            The successful launch can be seen as a victory for the CPDM leaders in SW, especially as it paves a leeway for other political parties to do same in the region.

            Other political parties have already taken the rendez-vous to come down and meet the electorate in the Anglophone regions.

            The Buea launching event brought together the who is who of the SW including ministers, senior administrative authorities, Mayors, MPs, senators and party militants from the six divisions of the SW.

In his ten point manifesto, President Paul Biya seeking another seven year mandate has promised amongst other things to safeguard national unity and territorial integrity, accelerate economic progress towards emergence, consolidating living together and peace.

Mayor Ekema at variance with Musonge and Co 

            Speaking to the media after the launching, the Mayor of Buea, Ekema Patrick Esunge, indicated that it is sad that a campaign of such magnitude is launched at a hotel while the municipality has a befitting town hall and other structures such as the grand stands at Bongo’s square.

            “I am happy that campaigns have been launched but at the same time dissatisfied that the launching was done in a closed environment. We expected that it would be done in a public place to showcase our numerical strength. But that was not the case. It is embarrassing that we come and launch regional campaigns in a hotel. I do not have any hope that those who came to launch the campaign will stay here to continue the campaigns with us.”

            Mayor Ekema says he has already rallied the people of Buea to take the campaigns across the municipality.

            “We are going to visit the entire municipality to garner support for our candidate, Paul Biya. While the so-called party leaders target only urban centres, we are going to go right down to the grassroots, no matter what,” Ekema announced, noting that the task ahead has been made easy especially with the mass exodus of the populations from rural areas to urban centres.

           

Other Dissenting Voices

            Echoes in the hall pointed to a disunited CPDM party in the SWR especially in Fako division. 

            When the leaders of the various divisional campaigns teams were installed, commentators in the hall expressed doubts if they would brave the odds and go to their divisions and do the campaigns. 

            Many said the CPDM elite have since stayed away from their villages and home towns since the escalation of violence and it is unlikely they will go there this time.

            They said even the once peaceful Fako division has now become a no-go zone.