Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Mimi Mefo Info
Published on 2024-03-14 17:43:14
Invited on RFI, the Minister of Communication let himself go in a series of falsehoods aimed at obscuring the reality, in a country where all indicators are in the red.
On Radio France International, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, lacking arguments, resorted to making false statements. A strategy for the Minister of Communication to obstruct the reality being experienced in Cameroon.
“There is no reason at the moment to call for a political transition in Cameroon. The institutions are functioning, the President of the Republic is fully exercising his functions. The question cannot be raised, it is absolutely inappropriate from our point of view,” declared René Emmanuel Sadi right from the start. A blatant manipulation attempt that contrasts with the facts. For several months now, Paul Biya, 91 years old with 42 years in power, has been governing by decrees. The authenticity of these decrees is even contested within the inner circle.
Even though he is not fond of holding cabinet meetings, Paul Biya last consulted with his ministers on March 15, 2018. Despite at least four local elections, including municipal, legislative, senatorial, and regional elections, which have imposed a new political landscape, Paul Biya has not carried out a government reshuffle. The last government appointed on January 4, 2019, has already lost 4 ministers who have not been replaced. Paul Biya has been virtually nonexistent on the ground for several years.
“No possible alternation”
Responding to a question about alternation, René Emmanuel Sadi declared, “It is the Cameroonian people who decide. And the elections are scheduled for 2025, we will see if the Cameroonians wish to change in one way or another.” Another gross deceit, at a time when the government is trying to squash any opposition coalition project. In a recent statement, the Minister of Territorial Administration clearly threatened retaliation against opposition political parties that attempt to unite in order to form an opposition coalition. Apart from the recent government maneuvers, the regime has rejected all proposals aiming to establish mechanisms for organizing free and transparent elections in Cameroon, including the consensual revision of the Electoral Code.
“The white elephants”
In his attempt to distort the facts, René Emmanuel Sadi listed some achievements of the President of the Republic since 2018, including the organization of the Grand National Dialogue, the construction of several projects, and the organization of the African Cup of Nations. But the government spokesperson deliberately omitted to mention that the war is raging more than ever in the North-West and South-West regions. Between November 6 and 22, 2023, forty people died in two attacks in the North-West and West regions. A record number of people killed in a month since the beginning of the crisis.
René Emmanuel Sadi also avoided mentioning the massive embezzlement of public funds orchestrated during the organization of the African Cup of Nations, especially for the construction of the Olembe stadium.
Regarding the major projects, the Minister of Communication remained silent about the white elephants erected as dams. Despite the completion of some dams announced to solve energy problems, power outages have reached unprecedented frequencies, thus dampening economic activity.
This statement by René Emmanuel Sadi is not only a string of lies but also the deliberate denial by the spokesperson of a government willing to do anything to force the reelection of a man weighed down by old age who no longer controls anything.
Joseph Essama
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
