POLITICAL FOCUS

AUTOCRACY IN GOVERNANCE UNDER BIYA’S REIGN

It is sad to absorb Cameroon a once peaceful nation, has today become a nation of political turmoil, unrest and agitation. Many allude to the fact that, those perpetuating the riots are societal dropouts, idle and frustrated people; but the question is who, did they expect to speak out? Is it the Directors and Ministers who are on the tree top harvesting as much as they deem fit?The bottom line is every one is bitter. To my utter astonishment, even some members of the Arm forces have expressed their dissatisfaction on the situation of things.It would not surprise me that, behind are hypocrites in the system, who stay back instigate these hoodlums or hooligans to carry out their treats.

Fredrick Douglass states, ‘without struggle, there can be no progress’.Obviously, no one with right senses can opt for war. But to go by Fredrick’s’ concept, history has shown, like the apartheid in South Africa, the 2008 power struggle in Kenya and in the USA with an African American rise to power after decades of cries of non-violence and freedom, thereby bringing Dr. Martin Luther King Juniors’ dream to be realized.Evidently, there are times that silence can’t just bring about progress.

To therefore attain solutions necessary for communal growth, we need to combat whatever ills we face in our society, and speaking out in one solid voice can only do this.It is quite understood that most of us are totally not responsible for our actions, holding it on the system and putting aside our virtues and moral precepts. May be, some times we decide to stick to the general principles rather than the particular.Meanwhile, general tendencies or reactions are usually not the best approach to handle or treat issues of life.

Consequently, autocracy in governance and centralized governing system has invoked a lot of falsehood, detrimental to nation building. In both the public and private sector, inelasticity in rendering services provokes disappointment, dismay and frustration, thus slowing down progress.

Sometimes, we cannot comprehend whether this situation is associated with the office being under-staffed, causing some people to have cumulative functions, thereby being overworked or some of these workers vehemently have to stay as ‘Alpha and Omegas’ (the beginning and the end.)

Furthermore, those at the helm of services are not assisted or cannot be assisted. Whichever or whatever the situation is actually. But, it has been noted that such operational tendencies dampen spirits especially when one cannot have an instant ‘d’accord’ because the one to certify is absent and no other bona fide person can act as deputy.

Lets visualize some critical situations faced with such harden policies or stumbling blocks. Imagine someone with an important document to sign, payment voucher, marriage or death certificate, and contract authorization, you list them.Then figure out the dilemma the one may face, if the sole person in charge of signing the document falls ill, dies suddenly or is probably called up by hierarchy for an extraordinary official duty or appointment. The consumers at this juncture are bound to wait inconveniencing them one-way or the other.

In our court of law, cases are adjourn over and over because the Magistrate ‘the Lordship’ cannot be present to preside,People are thereby displaced, causing waste of precious time and money. Mark you; the defendant and the plaintiff have a price to pay for their Attorneys to appear in court.

Yet, individually we are expected to be productive in order to boost the economy.With such references, when our activities are prolonged or at a stand still, how are we then expected to make ends meet? Is this not rather ridiculous?
It is hoped that this point is taken, for it is needless to cite examples, which have cause much tension, embarrassment and loss. It is said that’ when the going gets tough, the tough gets going’ likewise, ‘when the tough get going the going gets tough’. In this wise, our Leaders and Service Heads should at least ease up things for the common man, to make life worthwhile.

Apparently, if this of course happens to be management procedures, then it is high time for this condition to be revamped. For elasticity and liberalization is the manure for a progressive nation.Those at the head should not assume dictatorship and be authoritative with an- I- don’t- care attitude.

It is absurd and preposterous that, with a lot of pitfalls in the system and recent global development and crises, Members of Parliament (MPs) of the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement (CPDM) and their comrades in different parties, despite opposition, and boycott from authentic opposition parties, could consider the only issue at stake to amend in an old and outdated constitution was the removal of the clause on the term limit for the president set at two, seven – year term, paving the way for President Biya who has been in office since 1982 to stand for the next presidential election.

It is ridiculous and horrendous to imagine that a gigantic movement in the likes of the Cameroon’s People Democratic Movement (CPDM) can have just one person to rule till his death as age is certainly catching up on him. We can see, like the case of America how many Democratic and Republican candidates set up for the presidential race. Yes, it could be said it is America, so CPDM cannot nominate even two candidates. With little or nothing to show as the party’s achievement for the past 26 years in power, it can only be greed and dictatorship to steer or advise him to accept to stand again for an election to rule indefinitely.