Responding To Popular Aspirations

The pluralistic nature of Cameroon has in the past years been given room for virtually every public decision to be subjected to strict scrutiny. Least of such issues of national interest that would obey the same rule of varied analysis will be the current Bill at the extraordinary session of Parliament instituting a General Code on Regional and Local Authorities. Even more, an extra critical eye will certainly be cast on the fact that the Bill grants the “North-West and South-West Regions a special status based on their language specificity and their historical heritage.”

Equally of importance in the Bill is the underpinning argument that the peculiarities of the English- speaking education system and those of the Anglo-Saxon judicial system based on Common Law have to be protected by the Code once Parliament gives green light for the Head of State to promulgate the Bill into law.

Some were already quick to conclude prematurely that the much-talked of special status which appeared as an outstanding recommendation from the Major National Dialogue (MND) in Yaounde from 30 September to 4 October 2019 was being shelved since the Ordinary session of Parliament was getting to a close with instead a Bill on the promotion of bilingualism and official languages tabled in the House. Such a conclusion was certainly going to be proven wrong because the Head of State who convened the MND also promised to diligently follow its recommendations. And speaking in Paris during the Peace Forum on 12 November 2019, he reiterated his determination to put in place measures that would ensure peace and stability in the country.

The special status requirement even figured prominently in President Paul Biya’s statement at the Paris Peace Forum. There were therefore reasons to remain positive that the burning issue of the moment are still on good footing. Looking at the consequences of the restive situation in the North-West and South-West Regions over the past three years, the damaging effects to the national economy, the hardship that the population has had to bear and even worse, the number of civilians and defence force members who have died as a result of the conflict, it has become more than urgent to ensure that peace returns to both regions.

As such, the circumstances are critical enough to warrant an extraordinary session of Parliament which now has the historic rule to add their contribution to building the national edifice. By looking at the specificities of both regions, the Bill provides that unlike in the eight other regions in the country, the North West and South West Regions will have a bicameral deliberative body comprising a Regional Assembly with the House of Divisional Representatives and the House of Chiefs. In addition, the fact that the House of Chiefs hinges on that ...