Former SDF, Bonaberi mayor on the run?

Reports reaching our newsroom from Douala over the weekend indicate that the former SDF mayor of the Douala IV Council in Bonaberi, John Kumase is nowhere to be found and that he may have left the country.

Kumase, who was dethroned in September 2013 when the CPDM took over the council against all predictions, is reported to have been involved in a number of allegations.

Primarily, it was rumoured that he allegedly collected a quantity of cement from a Douala-based cement manufacturing company inorder to realise council projects but diverted them for personal use. Kumase had, however, on many instances refuted the allegations claiming that they were the handiwork of his detractors.

Infact, even within the party, the former policeman seems to have many standing against him. Many accuse him of highhandedness, bullish attitude and lack of transparency. This group of people say the SDF lost the Douala IV Council largely because of Kumase’s nonchalance and poor scorecard.

It should be noted that though the SDF lost the council, it succeeded in keeping the National Assembly seat occupied by Dr. Edimo Oscar who does not see eye-to-eye with Kumase.

Against all odds, however, Kumase succeeded in keeping the District Chair portfolio during a recent re-organisation carried out by the party and which were conducted by Asapngu Ferdinand, SDF’s national organising secretary.

The re-organisation in the Littoral Region continues to breed a lot of tension and in the last National Executive Committee meeting in Bamenda, Senator Tsomelu was drafted into the Littoral re-organisation team to bring in some sanity.

For now, we cannot say for a fact that Kumase John has eloped or not. We have put out many phone calls but he has remained inaccessible through the phone. We, however, learnt that he attended the last NEC meeting that was held on Saturday, November 8 in Bamenda.