Obama does not have to dictate democracy to us - Issa Tchiroma

The Cameroonian Government who attended the U.S.-Africa Summit last week does not seem to appreciate the lessons of democracy from Barack Obama, which the country wishes to condition the granting of aid to African political transparency and respect for human rights.

It is evident from a press conference given in Yaoundé shortly after the Washington meeting, by the Minister of Communication Issa Tchiroma Bakary.


"What we do not accept is dictations or dictators", the Minister stated during an interview with journalists.


Referring to the advanced age of Paul Biya, who is officially 81 year-old and has presided over the destinies of Cameroon for 32 years, the Minister stated that the opponent of Barack Obama in the 2008 election, Republican John McCain was 72 years old at the time, and would have been 80 years today while being in power, if he was elected.

This unexpected release by Tchiroma which alternates regularly between fierce opponent of Paul Biya at the discretion of admissions or dismissals of the Yaoundé Government translated the persistent unease prevailing in recent years between Washington and Yaounde, about human rights.


The US administration indeed recognized the status of political prisoners in Cameroonian prisoners, provoking the wrath of Yaoundé.


This is the case of the former Minister of the Interior Marafa Hamidou Yaya, a Fulani from the North of the country regularly regarded as one of the best possible successors to Paul Biya, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in a case of misappropriation of public funds.