Life Presidency Agenda:

Can Parliament stand on Biya’s way?

Political pundits have predicted that the president of the republic will introduce a bill in parliament bearing significant changes in the country’s constitution. And the changes in question will only pave the way for the president to put paid to his life presidency agenda. But the question Cameroonians are asking is: Will the MPs stand on the way of the Lion Man or will they give him another go ahead?

By Ayukogem Steven Ojong in Yaounde

Only Parliament can stand on the way of

President Biya given the paltry opposition we have

Both the upper and lower houses of parliament are expected to begin meeting on Thursday, 10 March 2016 for their first annual session in 2016. Generally, the March session is one in which not much is done by senators and MPs; it is a session in which they come and make some pleasurable noises amongst themselves and enjoy the advantages accruing from their positions as representatives of the people. Besides the renewal of the different bureaus of both houses, their major task during the March session is to examine and adopt government bills.

                However, the monotonies and formalities that are usually witnessed in the Senate and National Assembly during March sessions may give way to some serious work this time around, given the seemingly loaded political agenda of the president of the republic.

                Political analysts say that nothing will stop President Paul Biya from anticipating presidential election and presenting his candidature. At least that is what supporters of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement CPDM party have been demanding from their party chairman of late in their so-called people’s call. The communication secretary of the CPDM, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo has also not missed any opportunity to tell Cameroonians that “the elections will be anticipated and that Biya will continue to be the president whether they liked it or not.”

                However, the question on every lip is how will Biya go about his anticipated election agenda giving that the constitution of the country does not give room for such elections. If he decides to, as many say he will, then he will have to first change the constitution to make his agenda possible. And there is no doubt he will have an easy way through parliament as usual. He will not take the risk of trying to get the constitution changed by way of a referendum. 

                It is likely the president would first allow the MPs to go through their ordinary session before he introduces his ultimate bill during an extraordinary session that will follow immediately after the ordinary session comes to an end. It is during this extraordinary session that the real business would be done.                             It should be recalled that when Biya tried this method in 2008 when he also revised the constitution to remove presidential term limits and permit him to continue in office after 2011, it worked like magic.

                One thing is sure: an extra-ordinary session only affords the MPs extra perks in millions of francs cfa, apart from what Biya would propose to them so that they allow the constitutional revision bill to pass without much ado. It is already said in some quarters that fabulous sums have already been transfered into the MPs accounts as they travel to Yaounde.

                Some of the major changes in the bill would be the reduction of the presidential term of office from seven to five years renewable once, and the creation of the post of Vice President whose occupant would succeed the President in case of vacancy.

                Other changes that the MPs will have to endorse  during this March session and which are consequent on the modification of the constitution are the reduction of the voting age from 20 to 18 years, the institution of independent (private) candidacy in presidential elections to enable Cameroonians who wish to be candidates in such elections to freely stand, apart from the putting in place of the constitutional council, the accounts court, the high court of justice and the implementation of article 66 of the constitution on the declaration of assets.

                Observers say if President Biya has delayed the putting in place of all these constitutionally-provided institutions it was because he wanted to strengthen his grip on power.

                To them, his decision to run for the upcoming presidential election would be his last, reason why he would do every thing possible to make sure the changes in the constitution are adopted by the people’s representatives in their wide majority, this so  that he has credibility in the eyes of the wider world.

                But it is a paltry opposition we have here,  with just a paucity of ideas within their ranks. So, it is believed that only the parliament can stand on the way of the president’s life presidency agenda. But can the representatives of the people hold their own? Your guess is as good as mine.