CPDM in search of true militants, launches aggressive sale of party cards

The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) party seems to be in a tight corner and is now making frantic efforts to identify its true militants and as well raise funds through the sale of party cards.

The party has launched a nationwide recruitment of militants through an exercise its Secretary General, Jean Nkuete calls “a special sale of party cards.”

The party wants to know if all those who sing its praise are truly its own. They want to establish a data base of their followers so as to give party chairman Paul Biya, opportunity to diagnose the problems plaguing the CPDM.

The who-is-who of the party were over the weekend dispatched to the 10 regional headquarters to launch the special sale of CPDM membership and contribution cards.

Probably banking on the results of past elections, the party plans to sell over 142,000 membership cards and 143,000 contribution cards in the South West Region.

In the process, the party plans to raise FCFA 452 million, given that a card sells at FCFA 500 and that men are expected to pay in an annual contribution of FCFA 1,000 while women and youths will have to pay FCFA 500 annually.

According to party officials, there is also a card reserved for CPDM top shots and those they term “Major Promoters.” Insiders hinted that these “Major Promoters” will be served the cards by party Section Presidents and the Major Promoters must chisel out nothing less than FCFA 500,000 a year.

The cards shall also be issued to new members, militants who have lost their membership cards, and to militants holding old cards but who wish to exchange it for a new one.

In Circular No. 02/CPDM/CC/SG/CAB of November 14, 2014, the CPDM Central Committee Secretary General stated that the sale of party cards shall be accompanied by the drawing up of the list of militants, probably in anticipation for the belated reorganisation of the party’s basic organs.

The reorganisation was due for 2012, but has prolonged till now with friction already visible across the ranks of the party. It is alleged already that some elites of the party eyeing the office of Section President plan to buy the cards and share out to those loyal to them.

The entire proceedings of the sales we gathered shall be paid into the Treasury of the CPDM Central Committee and a balance sheet of the entire exercise accompanied by the list of militants expected at the CPDM Party Headquarters no later than January 10, 2015.

Speaking in Buea at the head of a delegation of two to the South West for the special party card sale, Ibrahim Talba Malla who doubles as Organising Secretary at the CPDM Central Committee said the drive is to better prepare for the reorganisation of the basic organs of the party. He said this is in accordance with provisions of the Internal Regulations of the CPDM adopted during the 3rd ordinary congress of the party.

Talba said that the drive will enable the party to come out with a database for its militants and also create a favourable condition for popular votes so as to ensure legitimacy at the base during elections.