Tchiroma bashed for suing French newspaper

The polemics raised by French newspaper, Le Monde, about President Biya’s health are far from over. Communication Minister and government spokesperson, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, as we reported yesterday has filed a complaint at the National Communication Council, NCC, against Le Messager, Mutations and Emergence.

They have been dragged to the media regulatory organ for what the minister described as “relaying false and defamatory information about the health of the head of state, Paul Biya and his wife, Chantal.” The newspapers would have to appear before the council on April 20.

Tchiroma’s action has given room for more questions than provided answers. Already, analysts have been wondering if it is the presidential couple, whose reputation was allegedly tainted by Le Monde publication, that have mandated Tchiroma to petition the council on their behalf. Is Minister Tchiroma not trying to mourn more than the concerned? Pundits have been heard questioning.

Article 4 (I) of the NCC complaints handling procedure is very ambiguous as to who can plead the council. It reads: “The National Communication Council may be approached by any interested natural or moral person being entitled to act on the basis of an alleged fact imputed to a social communication professional or corporation and relating to the violation of professional, ethical, or deontological requirements laid down by current laws and regulations.”

The polemics raised by this article borders on “natural or moral person entitled to act.” Is the article referring to the individual whose reputation is tainted in the media or an individual entitled with competence to sue on behalf of another?

As a matter of precedence, the very council had few years ago thrown out a complaint lodged against Mutations newspaper by the wife of a certain Divisional Officer in the East region on behalf of her husband. The council in throwing out the complaint ruled that only the aggrieved individual or his counsel had the competence to seize the council on any matter concerning him.

However, the council going by the summonses ditched out to the newspapers has admitted Tchiroma’s complaints when it is abundantly clear that he doesn’t have both the legal and moral power to demand compensation to the President and wife.

Two issues could vividly explain the admissibility of Tchiroma’s complaints: Either the media regulatory body has revised its laws or is simply scared of the complainant’s status which it should be noted, is the supervisory authority over the council.

A member of the council who refused to be named told The Journal that if the council was acting in all fairness and independence, it would have declared the complaint inadmissible.

The council member re-echoed the fact that the Communication Minister does not have the loco standi to seize the council on behalf of the presidential couple. He described Tchiroma’s action as outright overzealousness and attempts to placate the President in the wake of a highly-anticipated new government.

An observer also told The Journal that Tchiroma had already played the role that is due his office of Communication Minister when he initially came out and denounced the newspaper allegations. “The mere fact of denouncing the allegations to the press was enough reaction by the Minister to assume his role in the face of the polemics.

Tchiroma is a Communication Minister and not Biya’s Legal Adviser or Counsel. So it is out of place that he goes ahead to complain against newspapers on an issue that he has already given his position on,” he argued.

Observers say they are all eager to hear that Tchiroma has taken legal action against The Cameroon Journal too for its own reporting on the story with the headline – “Biya may die soon.” There are also questions as to why the minister is not suing Le Monde, the original source of the story.