Editorial: Deaths in the senate; time to review replacement law

Three Cameroonian senators have been called to glory in less than one year leaving behind yawning vacancies. Their so-called alternates cannot replace them. They can only do so if a substantive member resigns or is appointed to another position which is incompatible with the senate job.

As for an appointed senator, nothing stops the president from appointing a substitute who must not necessarily be his alternate. For the other vacancies, they can only be filled if the senate electoral law is amended. In a senate with a meridian age of 70 and in a country where life expectancy is 46 years, chances are that there would be whooping vacancies before their five-year mandate runs out in 2018. Many constituents would be the losers especially in terms of micro-project development grants if no provision is made for by-elections.

The current law on the election of senators, unlike that for parliamentarians, does not make provision for by-elections although those appointed could be replaced. But there is no provision for the president to elect more than three from each region.

At the Guardian Post, we urge legislators, in the interest of justice, equity and the respect for the memories of their departed colleagues, to amend the law so that by-elections should be conducted to replace senators who pass on to the world beyond.

Isn’t it also time to cancel the obnoxious “list system” where political charlatans and elitist business tycoons who do not as much as commune with constituents hide behind lists of people-oriented politicians get elected? Once elected, such greedy and self-seeking “politicians” do not as much as visit their constituents. They know themselves and those who the repulsive cap fits them should wear it in shame.

Senators are elected by an electoral college with a region forming one constituency. They are responsible for municipal and local authorities. But how many of the Anglophone senators have toured their “constituencies” since elected more than a year ago to say “thank you” and let the people they claim to represent even see them?

They snub their constituents knowing that they are not elected by the masses but by a small electoral college of councillors. How many of them have attended council sessions in their regions when they legally represent “municipal and local authorities”?

Would they have kept to themselves if like parliamentarians they were elected by a popular vote? Have they not seen parliamentarians like Hon. Emilia Lifaka, for example, going round her constituency in Buea and offering hundreds of scholarships to youths to study at the Opportunity Industrialisation Centre in Buea? Who is that senator claiming to represent local authority who has gone round to explain to the electorate what they do in the senate?

It is worth noting that two South West senators who hail from Manyu division in their myopic political consideration toured their division to make the electorate know them. But why did they limit their “thank-you” visit only to Manyu when they were elected on a single South West list? If they now decide to “thank” only their divisions, what wouldn’t a division like Lebialem that has no senator be left in the lurch?

Shouldn’t that give justification why the senate electoral law should be amended as a matter of urgency to improve on the country’s nascent democratisation process?

There are a number of lessons politicians and the government can learn from countries like neighbouring Nigeria and the United States whose senates are of age and remodel the Cameroon senate to better serve the people.

The Biya regime and its CPDM made provision for the appointment of 30 percent of members out of fear that they might not have a majority in parliament. With the appointment of 30 subservient members of the party, it was a guarantee that no matter how unpopular the CPDM could become, it will always manage to get a majority in the senate to over-turn any bill passed or rejected by parliament to suit the quirks of the government.

There is popular demand that the list system which is undemocratic should be done away with or modified to limit it to divisions as with the parliamentary elections. The electoral college system which is opened to corruption and bribery should also be done with. There should be provision for by-elections in case of death or incapacity of any senator.

The Guardian Post knows that only the ruling CPDM or the government can present a bill to amend the law and make the needed revision of the senate electoral law. The opposition will not have their way no matter how important their bill could be for the development of the country to rest on a trajectory towards a fairer representation of popular interests.

A typical example is last week’s rejection of all their four private member’s bills by the chairmen’s conference at the national assembly. The surprise is that the CPDM members of the commission would not even want an investigation to explain how the same plane sold in Congo would be bought by Cameroon more than doubled the price. Yet, the parliamentarians will say corruption and impunity are being fought in Cameroon like a war.

We are sure that the same fate that has over the years gripped the opposition with all their private members’ bills fling in the dustbin would affect the opposition minority in the senate should they make any attempt to amend that law.

The burden is on the government and its CPDM senators to review the law and advance the country’s democratisation process which by extension will improve on the economy thus contributing to solving such throbbing problems of unemployment, poor health care systems, impunity and human rights abuses.

History and posterity will not have mercy on legislators who continue to behave as though they are helpless ponds on the executive chess board. They are supposed to be people with consciences who should understand that the interest of those who elected them is paramount and vacancies should be filled once they occur. Reason and national interest, not CPDM biddings, should forbid senators from operating with yawning vacancies which they have the power to amend the law and get them filled.