CPDM Bracing Up To Fete Senatorial Victory in SW

By Boris Esono in Buea

CPDM Scribe, Jean Nkuete, congratulates SW CPDM senatorial candidates in advance, as Regional Torch-bearer, Mafany Musonge looks on. This was during a stop-over that Jean Kuete made in Buea
Thursday to put finishing touches to the CPDM campaign

The secretary-general of the CPDM Central Committee, Jean Kuete, has left Buea reassured that his party will carry the day in the senatorial polls that took place yesterday Sunday, 25 March 2018. Jean Kuete made a stop-over in Buea Thursday to rally his troops and take the temperature of campaigns ahead of the election. He also had occasion to give the candidates and councilors (electors) the special message from the president of the party, Paul Biya, who was out in China on a state visit.

            Jean Kuete’s stopover in Buea also gave him opportunity to know the CPDM candidates in person and encourage them as they headed for the challenge that promised to be tough.

            Holding at the Buea Mountain Hotel, the meeting with the party scribe provided occasion for the head of the CPDM Permanent delegation to the SWR, Peter Mafany Musonge to give a situation report of the campaigns and the preparedness of the troops for the challenge.

            Musonge noted that despite the difficult circumstances prevailing in the region, marked by deadly violence, hostage taking and killings, the regional campaign teams could still go ahead with their work of convincing the electorate to vote for the CPDM list. He reassured the party scribe judging from the work they had done and the response from the electors Jean Kuete can return to Yaounde rest assured that the CPDM will carry the day on 25 March.

 “No election is won in advance. But with the present crop of senatorial candidates and with the work we have been able to do on the ground we can rest assured that the CPDM will pass the test.  We are going to win the election because we are politically more mature, dynamic, responsible and well grounded in the politics of the region,” Musonge said, underscoring the important role the senate has to play in the decentralization process and why the SW region must produce needed victory if she must accompany the head of state in his efforts to uphold and protect the peace, development and harmonious living together of Cameroonians.

Hitch-Free Senatorial Election in NW & SW

CPDM Senators for the SWR hoping for a clean sweep

The General conduct of the senatorial election on 25 March has been described as smooth, serene and transparent by authorities of the Elections management body, Elecam and by national and international observers.

            Shortly before the close of polling stations in Yaounde at 6pm yesterday, Abdoulaye Babale, GM of elections, told CRTV that after monitoring the situation in Yaounde and judging from reports from his collaborations in other parts of the country, he could state without fear of contradiction that the general conduct of the election was good and calm.

            Abdoulaye Babale boasted that by every reckoning the senatorial polls this year were better organized than that in 2013.

            First impressions by some national and international observers all indicated that the election was free and fair.

            In the SW and NW where there were threats and calls for boycott by Ambazonia separatists, reports said the elections went on in calm and serenity, save for some mild disturbances in Bangem in Kupe Muanenguba and Menji in Lebialem divisions.

Missed opportunity to Reconcile:

Benjy Itoe & Nfon Mukete disagree to agree, Meme CPDM Suffers

-Militants disappointed, confused as Itoe boycotts reconciliation meeting called at Nfon Mukete’s palace Thursday

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Benjamin Itoe presents Senatorial candidate, Otte Mofa to public as Nfon Mukete
watches on. The current is not flowing between the two giants

Militants of the ruling CPDM party in Meme Division will continue to wallow in an orgy of confusion and uncertainty as the two major players of their in Meme have disagreed to agree.

            The visibly anxious and enthusiastic militants could not conceal their disappointment following the absence of former Minister, Justice Benjamin Motanga Itoe, and some of his followers at a crucial meeting called at Nfon Mukete’s palace, at the behest of the militants, on Saturday 24 March 2018.

            A CPDM insider who pleaded to remain anonymous disclosed to The Median that the militants decided to call the in camera meeting after concerting with the party bigwigs. The militants had unanimously noted the dwindling fortunes of their party, which they blamed on the politics of camps and exclusion masterminded by the Mukete and Itoe camps.

            The militants said they thought it expedient to hold a meeting and reconcile feuding camps and sub camps prior to the celebration of the party anniversary. They said the meeting would also provide occasion for them to brainstorm on how to pick up the broken pieces of the party and seek ways to forge ahead in renewed harmony. But the meeting turned out to be a missed opportunity after all. Benjamin Itoe and his disciples all elected to stay away.

            The Meme CPDM Permanent Coordinator, Justice Benjamin Mutanga Itoe technically avoided Nfon Mukete’s reconciliation overture despite being present in town. The former minister (no other Meme son has been minister after him) reportedly left Kumba at the eleventh hour to the start of the reconciliation meeting, on the pretext that he was attending an urgent meeting with the Governor in Buea, we learned.

            Our source revealed to us that the reconciliation meeting at the palace was decided not by Nfon Mukete, but by militants of the party, whilst attending a campaign meeting with the Secretary General of the party, Jean Kuete, in Buea, earlier on Thursday.

            Though Benjy Itoe was unrepentantly opposed to the suggestion of the militants in Buea, he did not give reasons for his renunciation, our source said, who revealed further that in the heat of the debates and arguments that ensued in Buea, Benjamin Itoe was visibly overpowered by the militants, the majority of whom insisted on holding a reconciliation meeting ahead of the senatorial elections in Kumba.

            Other party bigwigs that boycotted the palace meeting included notably Hon. Atinda Martins Mboni and Madam Ndoh Beltha Bakata, both of whom are understood to be allies of Benjy Itoe. 

Kumba, Meme Division:

Ambazonia Scare Takes Away The Fanfare

from CPDM 33rd Anniversary Celebration 

-Militants attend celebration stealthily and in assorted dresses

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Ambazonia Defence Forces are terrorizing the SW and NW regions

Militants of the ruling CPDM party in the entire Meme Division have witnessed what many have described as the worst anniversary celebration of their party, in the Kumba, following sustained threats from ‘Ambazonia’ separatist fighters.

            Despite the fact that for the first time in the history of the party the five sections of the party in Meme; Meme 1A, Meme 1B, Meme 1C, Meme II and Meme III converged at the party house in Kumba for the anniversary celebration, barely less than one hundred militants took part in the celebration that lasted for slightly over one hour.

            In his remarks at the rather low-key meeting, the host section president, Tabot Lawson Bakia aka Njalla, urged party militants to get up from slumber and shun fear if they want peace to return to the division that has been hard hit by the ongoing Anglophone crisis. Njalla urged the militants be proud of their party at all times and in all circumstances. He condemned the shy attitude of militants who refuse to wear the party uniform for fear of being attacked by ghosts.

            For his part, the permanent divisional coordinator of the party, Benjamin Mutanga Itoe, noted that the CPDM was not only celebrating its 33rd anniversary but the successes of President Paul Biya, who has transformed the country in the domains of democracy and development projects.

World Water Day:

MTN Foundation Brings Portable Water to Distressed Cameroonians

Since 2006, MTN Cameroon’s social commitment through its Foundation has made it possible to deploy 46 drinking water points in rural areas, according to a release issued on 22 March 2018.

By Innocent Kum in Yaounde

Students at an MTN Foundation Water Point in Adinkol, East Region

MTN Foundation, the first corporate Foundation in Cameroon has joined the national and international community in celebrations marking World Water Day on 22 March 2018, stated a release, which added that it was an opportunity for MTN Foundation to reassert its commitment to contributing and easing access to drinking water by disadvantaged populations in Cameroon, while also drawing their attention to the need to take care of this indispensable resource.

            MTN Foundation has so far helped to build 46 drinking water points for the benefit of about 170,000 people in several regions of Cameroon, according to the release, which adds that these drinking water points are deployed mostly in rural areas where access to drinking water constitutes a great challenge to the population, exposing them to waterborne diseases.

The potable water points built by MTN Foundation are of several types:

            -           Manual pump wells realized in partnership with the Otele Potable Water Project (PEP Project)

            -           Several boreholes realizedin partnership with various bodies such as GIZ

            -           Full potable water supply projects with distribution networkssuch as the one realized in the locality of Nzemelem, 25Km from Dschang in the West Region or those ongoing, with the “Villages des Jeunes Agriculteurs” project led by the Ministry of Agriculture in Nlobesse (South Region) and Wassande (Adamawa Region).

Water Scarcity in Buea Blamed On Deforestation

By Yuni Shantal and Mesumbe Neville in Buea

Populations battling to access water source in Buea

As the world celebrates the 25th edition of world water day under the theme “Nature for Water”, attentions has been focused on the importance of water and how we can use nature to overcome water challenges in the 21st century.

             Though clean water is a necessity, its availability is limited to few individuals in urban Centres like Buea.  In an exclusive interview with the Head of Department for Agriculture of the University of Buea, Dr. Stephanie Mvodo, she declared that deforestation is the main cause of water scarcity in Buea as it allows indiscriminate evaporation of water into the atmosphere.

            “Farmers always fell down trees for cultivation and burn bushes to harvest honey. These activities kill grasses and expose the soil to the scorching heat of the sun. The impact of this is very devastating on the water table as it triggers massive evaporation," she says.

            Dr Mvodo further surmised that water planning in Buea was poorly done from the onset.

            “The stakeholders did not foresee that water pipes would be quite small. As today’s population increases, the pipes cannot contain enough water that meets the needs of inhabitants in the locality. This is the major reason for the scanty nature of the water flow.” 

            Some agricultural practices do not only trigger water scarcity but also pollute the available ones. According to the agric don, the wrong use of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides contribute to pollute water sources.

Brasseries Agent Promises more jobs for Anglophones after Winning SWELA Award

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Deputy SWELA Scribe, Prince Nasako hands Excellence Award to Les Brasseries Chief of
Commercial Service for Meme, Tchinda Evelyn Ngwe.

The Kumba Chief of Commercial Service for Les Brasseries du Cameroun has promised on the behalf of the Brasseries Regional Director to increase the number of job opportunities for Anglophone Cameroonians in the two English speaking Regions.

            Tchinda Evelyn Ngwe Tita made the promise on Friday March 23, 2018 at the Brasseries headquarters in Kumba, at an occasion organised by Prince Nasako Molondo Daniel, deputy SWELA scribe in charge of the Meme Division. The event was aimed to recognize the contributions of Les Brasseries du Cameroun towards the socio-economic development, humanitarian work, peace and culture promotion in the SW Region and their participation in nation building.

            Tchinda Evelyn who also controls Muyuka, Ekona, Mbonge and Ekondo-Titi, told reporters that the plea by the SWELA deputy scribe for Les Brasseries to recruit more Anglophones falls in line with the goals of the company regarding recruitment.

            “SWELA’s plea falls in line with the recruitment strategy of Les Brasseries and its general manager, who had already contemplated increasing the number of Anglophone workers in the company in the soonest future,’’ Tchinda revealed.