Amend the SDF constitution

Please officially let NEC deliberate on these proposals for the amendment of the laws (constitution and internal regulations) of our party which if embraced will highly strengthen the organization : Militant(s) standing at elections for the position of national chair and secretary general of the party should not again cumulatively stand for national elections for the positions already made which are incompatible by virtue of section 13.1 (d) of the party current constitution – the office of the president of the Republic, vice president, president of the National Assembly, Prime Minister and/or any other governmental function .

There should also be amendment of section 13.3b of the current constitution which provide as, follows: 13.3b – the Secretary General and his/her deputies shall, after due consultation, be appointed by the National Chairperson.

The amendment proposal here is: the Secretary General and his/her deputies should be elective as contained in the constitution before the Bamenda convention of 26 – 28 May, 2006 (Bamenda conv. 26 – 28. 5, 2006) This amendment removes the danger of the secretary general being likened to a private secretary and its consequent incongruity.

Permit me, dear leaders, recall the powers and functions, per our current constitution, of the national chair and secretary general for immediate appreciation of the rationale of the proposed amendments:-

Section 13: Powers and functions of officers

13.1 The National Chairperson shall be the chief Executive officer and in this capacity he/she shall:

I) Convene and preside over the meetings of the convention, the National Executive Committee, the National Advisory Council and the Cabinet meetings of the shadow government;

II) Be the principal authorizing officer and shall authorize and/or approve all expenditure and/or disbursements of party funds;

III) Oversee on a day- to-day basis, the working of the party and the proper functioning of all the organs of the party at all the levels;

IV) Appoint, after due consultation, officials of the parliamentary and senatorial groups, designate parliamentarians for posts in the Bureau of the senate, the National Assemble and Regional councils

V) Represent the party at public ceremonies, before third parties and sign all correspondences destined to third parties.

VI) The National Chairperson may delegate the exercise of any of his/her functions to a National vice Chairperson and /or to any other official of the party.

b) The National Chairperson shall serve full time and shall receive such remuneration as shall be determined by the National convention

c) In the conduct and management of the affairs and procedures of the party, particularly as they apply to the preparation and conduct of the presidential nomination, the national chairperson shall exercise impartiality and shall ensure that officers and staff of the National Executive Committee maintain impartiality during party presidential nomination;

d) The post of the National chairperson of the party shall be incompatible with the office of President of the Republic, vice President of the National Assembly, Prime Minister and/or any other governmental function.

13.2: The National vice chairpersons

a) A National vice chair person shall, in the absence of the National Chairperson preside at meetings;

b) The National vice Chairpersons shall perform all such duties as shall be delegated to them by the National executive committee and/or the national Chairperson

c) The provisions of section 13.1(d) above shall apply to the post of National vice Chairperson.

13.3: The Secretary General

a) The General secretariat of the party shall be headed by a secretary General, Assisted by three Deputy Secretary General, at least one of whom shall be of the opposite sex.

b) The secretary general and his/her deputies shall, after due consultation, be appointed by the National Chairman

c) The secretary general assisted by the deputy secretaries general, in addition to the specific functions conferred on them by the internal rules and regulations and / or any other enabling instrument shall:

(I) Take or cause to be taken and keep proper books provided for the purpose, the minutes of the meetings of the National convention, the National Executive committee , the national advisory council, the Audit and oversight committee and the cabinet meetings of the shadow government;

II) Conduct or cause to be conducted such correspondence as may be required from time to time; provided that all correspondence destined to third parties shall be signed by the National chairperson or such official as shall be delegated by the latter;

III) Prepare or caused to be prepared subject to the approval of the national chairperson, the order of business of meetings of all national organs of the party;

IV) Supervise and control the activities of the national secretariat and recommend for appointment of officials and the recruitment of staff of the national secretariat by the national chairperson;

V) Ensure that no person except members of the various organs as provided by this constitution attend their respective meetings and that only members of the several delegations and officers of the convention shall be admitted to the section of the convention hall restricted to delegates;

VI) Carry out all other functions as shall be assigned by the national executive committee and / or the national chairperson and report to them.

VII) The provisions of section 13.1(d) above shall apply to the post of the national secretary general

13.4 The national Deputy Secretaries general

The national deputy secretaries general shall perform the duties of the secretary general in his/her absence or as may be assigned to them by him/ her.

Further amendment – section 13.1 (IV).The current one reads thus “The national chairperson appoint, after due consultation, officials of the parliamentary and senatorial groups, designate parliamentarians for posts in the bureau of the senate, the national assembly and regional council”.

The proposed amendment is “Appointments made after due consultation” is not enough! We wish that such appointment be vetted by the National executive committee so as to increase the chance of ripe judgment of the appointee – It makes sense to avoid situations where the chair due to human frailty may be inclined to erroneously and solo choose confidants who may in future betray him/her, the party and Cameroonians in general.

(A case to say the least has been registered where an SDF shadow minister resigns from SDF because the spouse is appointed minister in the CPDM corrupt regime). Thus, esteemed executive members, if embraced, the amended 13.1 (IV) should read: the national chairperson appoint, after due consultation and vetting by the national executive committee, official of the parliamentary and senatorial groups, designate parliamentarians for posts in the bureau of the senate, the national assembly and regional councils.

Furthermore suggestions for the amendments of our party constitution have been cataloged by many a party militant and sympathizer particularly those by former secretaries general – they ought to be looked into as well.

The party had from inception; it is worth mentioning, creditably stated in her constitution the incompatibility of some positions in the party and those of the entire Republic of Cameroon.

Thus the party will be limiting and doing a disservice to her goals should she continue permitting incumbents (of no fault of theirs)who use party constitutional prescriptions and finances to lead up to the day of party primaries. While their adversaries are there holders of other party executive positions or ordinary militants are not as exposed officially to the electorate on party matters as the incumbent national chair or secretaries.

More so the incumbents are not necessarily the best candidates for the entire Republic positions. Hence without barring incumbents from their priority desires, all militants (including party incumbents) should only choose one position each they wish to occupy – in this case either national chair (and their deputies), national secretary general (and their deputies) of the party or candidates for the office of President of the Republic, vice President, President of the national assembly, Prime minister and/or any other governmental function.

The post of national chairperson of SDF and office of President of the Republic, say, are two important and exacting positions. Towards elections and other high party profile functions the presidential candidate will in addition to the chair and other active forces of the party add more pressure to bear particularly on the one man dictatorial rule of the CPDM regime.

Neighboring Nigeria, South Africa, USA, Britain and other democracies the world over who regularly have smooth succession design their party chairpersons to act the important stabilizing impartial rule for electoral victory of their respective parties. In contesting for the supreme post (party chair) of their individual parties, they are aware of their constitutions which forbid them from again running for other positions like those of President of the republic, senate …

For a break through, we (SDF) have to see that the pro-CPDM ELECAM passing for Cameroon’s elections managing body be scrapped and the archaic constitution of Cameroon overhauled to ensure separation of powers before the 2018 polls. The SDF must maximize her chances to ensure democratic succession after over 25 years of waiting in the cold with Cameroonians going through hell of insecurity, poverty, electoral fraud, mal governance upheavals.

When the maxims of democracy are exploited first internally within SDF, our following will soar and bring positive change in Cameroon as obtained in other countries. Because of the unpredictability of the CPDM who can also precipitate polls in order to gain any advantage for their continuous stay in power, we strongly think an urgent extra ordinary convention of the party be scheduled to strengthen our party structure courtesy these constitutional amendments and other fortifications!

May God guide NEC, SDF and Cameroonians in general!

NB: (SDF being a public party and Cameroonians’ last hope for development and progress, this suggestion for, amendment of the constitution, is made open to the public so that everyone is witness and part of our country’s travails).