Errance Mentale: when we believe it, we'll see it.

Il y en a qui pense que la paix dont nous jouissons vient d'un programme assaisonnée à la sauce RDPC. Je dis non. Nous sommes un peuple intelligent, nous sommes un peuple qui aime notre patrie, nous sommes un peuple solidaire et fière de notre passé, un passé conquis avec le sang des nos plus grand patriotes. Ce ne sont pas les arguments pour nous entretuer qui manquent, baisse des salaires, népotisme, corruption, pauvreté, manque de routes, manques d'infrastructures scolaires et hygiénique, le chômage, etc. Nous aurons pu crier le ras de bol aux énormes dépenses d'un chef d'état complètement détaché de la réalité et de son peuple, d'un pays si pauvre mais qui se permet de voter une dépense de CFA 2,5 millions par jour pour le carburant d'un « haut » fonctionnaire de l'état comme le secrétaire d'état a la présidence de la république. Non, non et non, Paul Biya n'aime pas le Cameroun. Comment peut-on avoir, dans un pays qui compte à peine 20 mill...

After 29 years, I feel I know so much that I can call you Barthelemy or why not Bartho. Paul seems so distant and formal. Here we go again, another election. They seem to be so many and come so quickly when you've been doing them for 29 years, right? Even a seven-year term seems to go by so fast and the need to stay just lingers like bitter cream. At this point of our history when we have to chose between you and other candidates, who can take our country to the next level, I feel a little betrayed by your presence. I thought you were a gentleman who would understand that after 29 years, even the most tolerant supporter must harbor some love-fatigue. I believe you have not steered the country well, and I seem to be one of the few who think so. Do you remember when about 7 years ago we agreed that by this time you will be our country's retired President? How disappointing that you let the Circle talk you into this again. I tried in vain to beg the Cardinal to step in and kick y...

It was on a Monday morning, August 29 that I took my cousin, 21, to the embassy of the Republic of Cameroon to register to vote. I also had my wife's passport and other credentials in case I could register her in absentia. When we got to the embassy, it was closed that day and the next day, Tuesday August 30. Ramadan. On Wednesday morning, we repeated the exercise. This time, I will pick up my aunt from the nearest metro station to the embassy (she attends Georgetown University) and all three of us will register to vote. Accompanying us were two of my children, 3 and 1. When we got to the embassy, we were greeted by a long line of people who had come for various purposes. Originally, I thought they were there to register to vote like I was. As is the proclivity with things done "a la camerounaise", people who knew people who knew people who worked in the embassy were fished from the line and given red-carpet treatment while the rest of us sons of peasants waited in line. ...

From "rigueur et moralisation" to "le Cameroun des grands ambitions" through "democratie avancee", Biya's landamrks are tall in pomposity but pale and embarrassing (for those who care) in reality. Mr Paul Biya's policy gurus, and speech writers, have showed reckless abandon of modesty and restraint to coerce Cameroonians into believing that we "need" a washed-out-near-octogenarian for President after a 29-year malaise waiting for "le bout du tunnel" (another Biyaism). To pull off such an extraordinary feat, they have leaned on the virtues of a gullible, greedy, power-hungry, hungry, alcohol-prone populace who care about one thing only: get into the civil service and swindle as much money as possible. When we were children, our neighbors had an abandoned car in the front of their house, a Simca, and we would play in the carcass of the car and pretend that we were driving, going fast, zooming through the dusty streets of Tsinga (...

It is common knowledge that Elecam is the creation of the government of Cameroon to placate a few of its donor nations and a reluctant attempt to show the world that when Biya will win the elections (as the CPDM believes it would), some form of legitimacy should come into play. It is a strategic ploy, a trick, a wickedly cunning ruse to keep the Biya dictatorship in place for another 7 years, totaling 36 years of misery. 36 years of the same failed policies: rigor and moralisation, grands ambitions, etc. It is true that countries that hold the purse from which Cameroon borrows are putting pressure on the Biya regime to loosen up to the demands of the opposition and some are even calling on him to step down, but let's be realistic, most of what we have heard are " unofficial ", "off the record" , "hints" from "sources close to" because in diplomatic circles, certain subjects are taboo and certain declarations will and can be perceived ...

If you watch the news you must be excited, that is if you are on the side of the oppressed, by the trending fall of dictators around the world and especially in North Africa. By the way, I define dictators as anyone has been elected to be at the helm of a country for more than 3 consecutive terms. While Egypt has given hope to some Arab populations suffering from the grip of tyranny and dictatorship, it will be too risqué to make a syllogistic argument in favor of any kind of insurrection in Cameroon. What is different (from a layman's standpoint) between Cameroon and Egypt? In other words, can a revolution that was cooked in Egypt be consumed in Cameroon? My answer is NO. Lack of common language Cameroon is split into two main big factions, anglophone and francophone. The language barrier stops most Cameroonians from communicating clearly their vision, objectives, etc. This has made Cameroon to seem like two countries in one. How to overcome this problem... maybe the use of pidgin...

It happened 3 years ago. It led to the deaths of hundreds of people, among whom was a 13 year-old child. When it happened we all decried the ruthlessness of the Biya regime. Lets take a short walk down memory lane. I published this email on February 28, 2008. Dear reader, Below are three accounts of the situation in our country. It is sad that human life is sacrificed for any goals to be attained. It is equally sad that some of the objectives of the strike action (according to some sources), to revolt against an incessant toll that high living costs are imposing on our brothers and sisters, are bashed by and exacerbated paradoxically by the strike action. The pro government press sees the strike action as ridiculous and scoffs its rationale. Newspapers that have been vanguards of change and pro everything good couldn't give the strike a definite intent, at least those that I read. Now, I begin to ask myself some questions: why a nationwide strike? The price of fuel seems to be ...