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Cameroon |
DEMOCRACY
Cameroon’s multiparty system of democracy is ten years old;
however, learning
about competition and professionalism has not been easy
According to some political commentators, the proliferation of political parties in Cameroon in only ten years, could be described as «a way citizens show what democracy means to them». Year after year, the number of political parties in Cameroon is on the increase. But, paradoxically, the sheer weight of numbers makes it virtually impossible for any individual party to achieve victory at the polls, or to hold onto power. With very few exceptions, politicians and indeed, the electorate, just don’t seem to appreciate that it’s only by grouping together, that anything positive can be attained. Resulting from this, we see interminable debates taking place both within the powers-that-be and within civil society. Indeed, civil society is hell-bent on describing party leaders as tricksters, careerists and opportunists lacking in inspiration. Except for some parties, eighty percent of Cameroon’s political groups and parties seem to have no set agenda or ideology.
Illusion and reality
168 political parties have been officially recognised ever since the multiparty system of politics got off the ground in February 1991. This number reflects both the total freedom which Cameroonians have in creating their political parties and the way in which they have taken to politics. Cameroon’s Constitution states that political parties have an important place and role in the country’s democracy, since they «are an expression of the voters’ will».
Countries are governed and ruled by political parties, which, by definition, have the job of gaining power and administering it in such a way that they hang on to it. This is the way things are, these days, and no political party or grouping can afford to distance itself from it. The first elections in this «new age» of multi-party politics took place in March 1992. Electors had the opportunity of voting for sixty officially-recognised parties. This was made all the more attractive in that the authorities had decided to grant financial aid to all the parties taking part. But no financial aid was forthcoming in future elections — i.e. the October 1992 presidential elections; the October 1997 presidential elections; the May 1997 parliamentary elections; the January 1996 municipal elections. Because local elections concern local issues, voters could have ignored political parties, and voted for the people they considered best suited to concern themselves with local issues. But such was not the case.
Today, the way things are on Cameroon’s political scene, only about a dozen political parties have succeeded in convincing the voters, and garnered enough votes to allow them to hold seats in municipal councils or in the National Assembly. So it was that after the municipal elections of January 1996, only eleven political parties had representatives in the country’s 336 local authorities. Following the May 1997 parliamentary elections, representatives from seven political groups held seats in the National Assembly. When there are no elections, these political parties/groups continue to make their presence felt by organising seminars, activities dealing with social issues, commemorative ceremonies, etc. They are mentioned in press articles, and get a hearing on radio and television, especially in programmes reserved for political parties which have Members in the National Assembly.
Politics as such, seem to be reduced to electoral campaigns. Political life takes the form of intellectual and occasional considerations of one subject or other; exceptional and fallacious declarations; grandiloquent and self-seeking gesticulations. All this is far from the intention of the country’s legislators in Law No. 90/056 of 19 December 1990, concerning political parties. This particular Law states categorically that each political party must clearly declare the party’s aims and political programme. Professor Luke Sindjoun says that «in Cameroon, as in many other African countries, the multiparty system only seems to really take off when elections are in the air, and then there’s no holding them».
Struggles for leadership within political parties resulting in party divisions, death threats, kidnapping, have frequently stifled any attempt to seriously consider Cameroon’s future. Some leaders are obsessed by one idea — grab hold of power as quickly as possible and hang onto it.
All this leads one to say that in these circumstances, it’s impossible for political parties to have true policies. The ordinary citizen thus gets the unfortunate impression there’s no difference between «politics» and «demagogy». The lack of projects and ideas is symptomatic of one of the greatest weaknesses of many parties: political amateurism. Many parties recognise this, especially when their leaders state that «leaders must be trained and replaced whenever necessary».
Death or survival.
By 4 October 2000, 168 political parties were duly registered with the Direction of Political Affairs at the Ministry of Territorial Administration. But people are wondering, what’s the use of all these parties? In fact, the political scene is not so diversified in its present form since many of the parties now lie dormant following the elections. Outside of the seven parties which shared the 180 seats in the National Assembly (1), the other 162, in different degrees, are virtually mere embryos which rise to the surface only when the need is felt. To these seven, however, should be added a few others which have councillors in the municipal councils. Certain of these satellite parties are extremely small in number, which prompts some to call them deadpan «family parties«or «village political parties».
To sum up, there seems to be a kind of permanent lethargy among Cameroon’s political parties. The scarcity of alternatives, of new original ideas, characterises Cameroon’s political scene.
The question must be asked: «Is the Opposition powerless»? This came to the fore in February, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the multiparty system. According to some of the leaders of the ruling Democratic Rally of Cameroonians (RDPC — the party in power), the Opposition don’t seem to be able to come up with any alternatives...new ideas. Opposition leaders reply: «We’re not tired but frustrated. Political proceedings have been hijacked.»
Within limits, the question of new ideas within political parties is tied in with the way in which these parties are situated in today’s Cameroon. Leaders of all shades of political opinion are convinced they have a role to play in the country’s administration. Perhaps it’s a reaction to the ever-increasing influence of such international institutions as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The programmes of the political parties are reduced to key words painstakingly spelled out by these financial institutions. The majority of the parties are happy to simply take up one or other aspect underlined by these institutions.
Nevertheless, it’s clear that Cameroon’s system of multiparty politics is still in the process of developing. This reflects in the nation’s daily life. In politics, just as in every area of life, professionalism is indispensable. Only those political parties conscious of that fact, can emerge from the horde of existing parties, and make a positive contribution towards consolidating Cameroon’s democracy — every citizen’s desire.
(1): Democratic Rally of Cameroonians (RDPC) —116 Members of Parliament; Social Democratic Front (SDF) — 43 Members; National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP) — 13 Members; Democratic Union of Cameroon (UDC) — 5 Members; Union of the Cameroonian People (UPC) — 1 Member; Movement for the Freedom of Cameroonian Youth (MLJC) — 1 Member; Movement for the Defence of the Republic (MDR) — 1 Member.
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