Senate re-elects Niat , contributes 100M to fight Boko Haram – Cavaye hangs on

Marcel Niat Njifenji, Senate President, just got re-elected to heard the Senate by his colleagues, March 17. That implies he will see through the 2015 legislative calendar.

His election for a 3rd time came five days after members of the house converged on Yaoundé last Thursday for the March ordinary session of parliament.

Shortly before the elections, CPDM senators had a meeting at the Yaoundé Conference Centre chaired by the party’s scribe Jean Kuete. The meeting was used to designate party candidates to run for the elections.

Niat, who was the lone candidate for the post of president following his nomination by CPDM parliamentary group leader, Senator Mafany Musonge, got 83 of the 97 votes cast with 14 void ballots all cast by senators of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, party. The election of senate president was presided over by V. E Mukete, eldest member of the house.

Senator Aboubakary Abdoulaye still from CPDM party who hails from the North region maintained his position of first vice president of the senate elected by 83 of the 97 senators present. The elective assembly unfolded with 97 of the 100 members’ senate following the death of three senators in 2014.

The permanent bureau of the senate with a president, one first vice president, four vice presidents, three questors and eight secretaries had a representation of four out of five political parties for the current legislative mandate among them the CPDM, SDF, NUDP and MDR with the exception of UPC party.

The only change observed in the outgoing bureau of the senate was that Senator Oteh Moffa Andrew replaced late senator Lucas Njifua Fontem as questor following his death last year.

Addressing the senate shortly after his re-election, Niat Njifenji called on his colleagues to work with engagement and loyalty for the interest of Cameroon. He said the institution has to work hard for peace to reign in Cameroon.

He also announced the senate’s contribution of FCFA 100M in the fight against Boko Haram with the senators themselves raising FCFA 50M.

Over at the National Assembly, CPDM Member of Parliament from the Mayor Kani division in the Far North Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril was elected for the 23 year as house speaker. He heads a bureau of 23 members comprising one first vice president, four vice presidents, four questors and twelve secretaries.

The two houses are expected to start serious business in the days ahead with the putting in place of the bureaus.