Ahead of Stiff Battle with SDF:

CPDM K’ba-1 Picks New List Leader As Mwelle Kunz Dies
-Barrister Moses Esseme picked to head list, as ambitious Mewanu Gregory is pushed back to his rightful position 
By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaounde 

Barrister Eseme Moses Esembe

An atmosphere of tension and infighting is currently rocking the CPDM party in Meme 1A in Kumba barely a month to the 9 February municipal elections. The ugly situation is a replay of the politics of division and camps that exists within the ruling CPDM party in the Division.
    The current wave of confusion originates from power tussle as to who will head the municipal list of the section following the sudden death of the list leader, Mwelle Kunz Mbai. Since Mwelle Kunz demise Sunday 15 December 2019 at the Buea regional hospital annex, things have not been the same within aspiring councilors.
    The infighting escalated when one of the councilors, Mewanu Gregory, stealthily inserted his name on the first position of the council list and submitted to the Elecam head office in the area.
    Sources say Mewanu whose name was initially on the fourth position might have done so with the background backing of some top Meme politicians. This was done without the knowledge of the Section President, Tabot Lawson Bakia.
    Mewanu is however said to be close to the Meme CPDM Divisional Coordinator, Benjamin Mutango Itoe. He is said to have played a fast one on other aspirants after adjusting the list in his favour.


Emergency Crisis Metering
    The attention of the Section President is said to have been drawn to the developments. This led to an emergency meeting in Kumba at the city council hall Friday 4 January 2020. The meeting was chaired by the CPDM permanent Divisional Coordinator, Benjamin Itoe in the presence of Tabot Lawson Baki aka Njalla.
    Mewanu Gregory is said to have apologised for his actions. It took the intervention of the Kumba Government Delegate (a member of the list) for Mewanu’s name to be maintained on the fourth position. Angry militants had vowed to push his name to the 20th position.
New List Leader Emerges
    The meeting ended with the election of Barrister Eseme Moses Esembe as the new list leader while Ngoh Nkelle Victor who was on the third position was moved to the second position and the name of the YCPDM Section President, Andong Humphrey pushed from second to third.
    Observers of the recent developments are of the opinion that Mewanu Gregory will give their list tough times in the selection of a Mayor if CPDM wins the election.

Post-Election Speculations
    In the meantime, political observers say if the CPDM wins all the councils in Kumba, Ngoh Nkele Victor, current Kumba Government Delegate will likely be voted as City Mayor.
    The political pundits predict that should the SDF win the three councils in Kumba, then Mayor John Kona Makia of Kumba III council may emerge as the City mayor.