“Epervier” dries up funding for anniversary

The celebration of President Paul Biya’s 33rd anniversary in power on 6 November was void of the usual pomp and fanfare. Ministers and GMs who used to sponsor the celebration from their official coffers have become reticent, perhaps because of the arrest and imprisonment of their colleagues; they did not throw any money around this time.

The pomp and fanfare that usually characterizes events marking the anniversary of President Paul Biya’s ascension to power on 6 November was not seen this year. The celebration this year was low-keyed, if at all there was any.

Apart from a semi marathon and a gala night organized at the CPDM secretariat at Yaounde Conference Centre in the evening of Friday, all was calm in the capital city throughout the day with people going about their day’s business as usual.

No CPDM militants were seen singing and dancing on the streets of Yaounde as has been the case in past years.

Even though we learnt that the chief celebrant, President Paul Biya, had ordered for a low-keyed celebration, the state broadcaster, CRTV however, made the anniversary their top story for the whole of last week; they brought back reminiscences of Ahidjo’s resignation on 4 November 1982 and how Biya peacefully took-over on 6 April of that year, ushering in a new dawn of rigour and moralization.

Commentators said if there were no celebrations throughout the country, the reasons are not far-fetched: the populations have become fed up with the regime, they see no reason to celebrate.

Others said even if the regime doesn’t have the blessing of the masses, people would still have drunk and danced if provision was made for these as it used to be in the past.

Observers said the fanfare and pomp was absent this time simply because there was no money to buy drinks and hire record players and loud speakers to keep the populations alive.

“The Central Committee did not provide money for the celebration this year. Party elite too did not bother to spend their personal money to sponsor the anniversary celebration. Ever since they started sending Ministers and GMs of state corporations to prison for corruption, others have learnt their lesson; no one wants to take the risk of using government funds to sponsor any activities for the party,” said a CPDM militant who begged not to be named.

It should be recalled that two former GMs of State Corporations, Emmanuel Gerard Ondo Ndong of FEICOM and Siyam Siwe of the autonomous ports in Douala, who were imprisoned for corruption, told the court during their trial that they used part of the money they were accused of embezzling to finance CPDM activities.

However, critics of the system observe that even though President Biya has warned his “boys” that any body found guilty of corruption will go down for it, he has still lined-up GMs of state corporations to finance his party’s activities. The lists of the different commissions in charge of organizing and supervising the reorganization of basic organs of the CPDM, published recently in L’Action newspaper, grouped almost all GMs of state-owned companies and business magnates in the country in the finance and logistics commission.

Some of the GMs and business magnates include: Nkotto Emane of Camtel, Beh Mengue of Arsel, Elung Paul of CSPH, Talba Malla of Sonara, Mekulu Mvondo of CNPS, Fotso Victor, Alhadji Bako, Oumarou Fadil etc. etc.

Yet, a CPDM diehard explained to this reporter that the inclusion of GMs of state-owned companies in commissions is firstly because these people can better play certain roles, and secondly to prove that the CPDM is also a rallying ground for the majority of the elite of the country.

“Ministers and GMs can better play the roles assigned them in the party. It is thanks to the party that they got to where they are. That is why they are expected to also sacrifice for the party; but this does not mean they should dip their hands into the public coffers to contribute to the party,” the party baron said.