Councillors of the Buea Council have adopted a motion to expel two of theirs – Councillors Chief David Molinge Ikome and Thompson Kinge.
The motion was proposed by Chief Njombe Njoke Johnson on grounds that the duo have been absent from three consecutive sessions of the council without forwarding a proxy.
During the Second Ordinary Session of the Buea Council, on December 23, dedicated to the examination and adoption of the draft budget of the council, the councillors voted by acclamation that Chief Molinge and Kinge be dismissed.
Chief Njombe had earlier tabled the motion calling for the dismissal of the two, citing the law which stipulates that if a councillor misses three consecutive sessions; such a councillor be dismissed through a deliberation of the councillors in session.
The motion by Njombe was quickly seconded by Councillor Isuma Otto Endeley before a tense debate ensured within the chambers of the Buea council.
Though Councillor Amos Namanga Ngongi held brief for Chief Molinge on grounds that Molinge has been sick, Councillor John Efande, second deputy mayor slammed the claims.
“…The law doesn’t state that a councillor should hold brief for another. The law must be applied. The law gives us grounds to dismiss these councillors. They are learned and versed with the council law and so have no excuse. They should be dismissed,” John Efande said.
Councillor Wokama Ngange supported the stance of the deputy mayor even before he had finished, getting the support of Councillor Chief Njie Mandenge who simply said “Cameroon is a state of law. Let us apply the law.”
Regretting that “the law does not give a human face in situations like sickness,” Kingsley Lyonga Ngange, another Counciller, added his voice to that of his peers like Councillors John Kameni and Hannah Etonde Mbua to say that the law should be followed.
Etonde Mbua, however, sought clarification from the Secretary General of the Buea Council, Joseph Ewome Njie who attested to the fact that the two councillors were duly served with summons for all the sessions.
Ewome Njie noted that the duo missed two extra-ordinary sessions on September 22 and September 30, 2014 and an Ordinary Session of December 23, 2014.
With the deliberation only now awaiting validation from the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Molinge and Kinge will no longer be councillors barely over a year after they were elected on September 30, 2013.
The Buea council has also lost two councillors to the cold hands of death.
Contacted by phone on January 2, to react to the motion for his dismissal as councillor, Molinge said those who took such an action wished him death, given that they did not visit him on his sick bed.
“There is no problem if they dismiss me as councillor. It’s fine. I don’t have anything to say. If I was sick and they never visited me, they wished that I die but God saved my life. Only close friends visited me. The council never bothered to visit me. The Muea people will be informed that they have no councillor again. If they have the powers to dismiss a councillor then fine. If they can sit behind and dismiss me, it’s better than for me to die. They heard that I was death and were happy. They have never visited me. Now that I’m not dead, they chose to dismiss me from the council. This is to tell the world the kind of people they are. It rings a bell. I’m not bothered about that issue. Whether I’m councillor or not, is nothing to me. I thank God that I’m alive. I however, regret that such an action was taken by the councillors,” Molinge said.
Attempts to get reactions from Thompson Kinge were abortive.
