SDF Presidential candidate barred from party activities

According to an open complaint sent to the National Executive Committee NEC of Cameroon's lead opposition party the Social Democratic Front SDF, Felix Teche Nyamusa SDF 2018 Presidential hopeful (pending primaries) has been barred from the party activities.

Here is the Letter hilltopvoices.org got.

'His Excellency, kindly digest-cum-relay this concern to the National executive committee (NEC):

I, Felix Teche Nyamusa SDF 2018 Presidential hopeful (pending primaries) have recently been blocked from attending SDF meetings or permitted to attend but stopped from making contributions under flimsy excuses!

Its worth mentioning that Felix Teche Nyamusa is SDF militant from conception of the party in 1990 and has held positions in same at various times and levels which include Tugi ward chair, district executive member of Mbengwi and Bamenda electoral districts and member of the provincial communication desk of North West Region (then province) and currently SDF presidential hopeful for the 2018 Cameroon presidential – it was the case in a North West regional reorganization planning meeting of March 2018(at Fru Ndi’s Ntarikon residence) with the SDF national chair His Excellency John Fru Ndi in attendance.

Your presidential hopeful was prevented from partaking in the gathering and again in another conclave at Fru Ndi’s Ntarikon residence this time of the Bamenda II district Saturday 16, April 2016 where I was permitted to attend but again controversially censored from contributing at the deliberations!

It is worth noting that I after all was officially invited to this meeting by the district chair like I have attended other meetings here at the invitation of the past chairs. Today to some militants “Nyamusa is of SDF Mbengwi Momo and he is standing presidential primaries with Chairman Fru Ndi - he should be stifled at party activities!” It is worth mentioning that the Musang ward of chairman Pa Sembi in Bamenda II is my current SDF ward.

I currently reside in Musang quarter of Bamenda II. When I am in the village - Tugi in Mbengwi subdivision of Momo division, I militate in the Tugi SDF ward where I am former chair. Where ever I go be it in Douala, Yaounde, North or any other part of Cameroon as well as in the Diaspora I have always made it a duty to identify and partake in my party SDF activities .

My field experience over the years has exposed this unlawful, anti constitutional posture by some party zealots which hampers democracy thereby increasing apathy by discouraging aspirants and their following not only as it concern me but also with respect to other militants at various levels of the party perpetuated by (some of) the chieftains in their respective constituencies especially those afraid of competition or for sycophancy sake!

The SDF party constitution is unequivocal on:

- Part of the Preamble: - “We hereby reiterate our belief in individual freedom in the framework of a just society, political freedom in the framework of a meaningful participation by all citizens in the political process and mindful of the constitution of the Republic of law No 90/056 of 19th December, 1990.

Pledge ourselves to an open and honest endeavour in the conduct of public affairs and in a manner worthy of a free people; convinced that the enduring strength of the Nation’s political institutions depends on the restoration of multiparty democratic practices. Affirm our conviction that a political party wishing to be trusted must prove its trust in the people.

Section 7.4 , of the party constitution

(a)Every member shall have the right to vote and be voted for any office or post of the party during any election, provided that such member has been active and is a current financial member of the party; (Yaounde conv.; 16-20.04.99)

Internal rules and regulations

Part II: Nominations for election

Section 5: Nomination for the presidential election

a) The Republic shall form one single constituency for the purpose of nominating a presidential candidate of the party. Aspirants seeking nomination shall submit themselves to the National convention specially convened for that purpose. The applicant shall be supported by no less than ten accredited members to the convention from each of at least five (5) Regions of the Republic; (Bfsm. Conv. 29-31-7-93)

b) The candidate that wins more than 50% of the votes of the total delegates of the special convention shall be considered duly nominated; provided that he/she has no less than one third of the votes cast at the nomination in each of six of the regions in the Republic”

Thus per our SDF constitution, the presidential candidate irrespective of whether he/she holds a party executive position or just a bare militant has the entire Cameroon as his/her constituency and obviously has as a duty to sell his/her image, ideology and manifesto to fellow citizens through party meetings, rallies--- .

It is only through this that militants, Cameroonians will know such candidate(s) in order to ascertain whether he, she or they deserve their votes at polls or not!

Hence blocking them from fully and actively participating in meetings, rallies or other party activities I think is a disservice to SDF militants in particular and Cameroonians in general; unconstitutional; undemocratic thus weakening the party to say the least!

Comrades, this is the ordeal the party, some party members including Nyamusa your humble presidential candidate (pending primaries) have been going through and we urge the national executive council (NEC) being one of the highest governing organ of the SDF party to get involved and educate militants and sympathizers against such party absurd, debasing actions!

May God guide, SDF, Cameroon.”