Ambazonia Threats Force Meme Chiefs to Postpone Elections

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Traditional rulers in Meme Division of the Southwest region have indefinitely suspended their elective general assembly that was slated to take place over the weekend on Friday January 19, 2018.

                The indefinite suspension we learned from one of the chiefs is as a result of continuous rise in insecurity in the division caused by the constant gun exchange between the Ambazonia fighters and government forces.

                Our source indicated that the meeting that was scheduled to hold at the Kumba City Council was canceled indefinitely because of the constant death threats that have been made on their colleagues especially those in Mbonge Sub-Division by unknown gun men.

                He added the postponement is also as a result of the fact that many of their colleagues in Mbonge are on the run as a result of the constant threats, while others are trap in their chiefdoms with fear not to travel to Kumba as a result of the constant gun battle along Kwa-Kwa, Kombone, Nake, Bole villages.

                Quizzed on how they were informed of the postponement, our interlocutor who preferred to be anonymous revealed they were informed through text messages they receive from the secretary general, EsemeMbonji. It should recall that in the early weeks of December 2017, the elective general assembly was also suspended after the chiefs failed to procure a written autorisation from the Meme administration.

                The postponed elective general assembly was meant to elect the new bureau of Meme Chiefs Conference and transfer the rotatory presidency of Meme chiefs to the Bakundu tribe. We also gathered that the chiefs had planned to address a deadly missive to government over rising insecurity on them as well as death threats slam most of their colleagues who are now on the run by unknown persons.

                It should be noted that the last Meme Chiefs’ Conference held in March 2014 and going by their constitution, the body’s presidency was supposed to move to the Bakundu tribe after the reign of the current president, Nfon V.E Mukete of the Bafaws. NfonMukete took office in 2014 from the Mbonge tribe.

                Other information making the rounds is the fact that the Bakundu tribe that is made of 36 villages is still in separate camps. The presidency of Meme chief’s conference is supposed to be handed to the Bakundu tribe.

                Commentators have said that if the infighting which presently seems to be engulfing the Bakundus as they brace up to take over the Presidency of Meme Chiefs’ conference is not buried fast before the elective conclave is convened again, it might reawaken the flames of the Bakundu Chiefs’ conference.