Biya’s 41 years in power: The good, the bad, the ugly.

President Biya came in and pegged his leadership on Rigour and Moralisation, which was the bedrock of what he termed The New Deal.

Ascending to the helm of State, President Biya focused his attention on the democratisation of the political landscape, social and economic liberalisation and the reinforcement of international cooperation ties.

Supporters of President Biya’s ruling party, Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, will today be gathering at various locations across the country, to fete his 41^st anniversary at the helm of the Supreme Magistracy. 

However, 41 years down the lane, Biya’s tenure in office, analysts say, has portrayed the good, the bad and the ugly. While some Biya regime apologists mount rooftops to sing his praises and laud him for what they term is his exemplary management of the country, Biya’s critics say there is little or nothing to write home about, 41 years down the road.

As Biya’s supporters and critics alike exchange tirades as far as his achievements or not are concerned, a bird’s eye view at some of the good, the bad and the ugly of the New Deal government after 41 years is essential. 

The Good

Clocking 41 at the helm of the State today, Biya, proponents say they are celebrating him as the Wiseman of Africa, who has engineered development in the country.

Architect of liberalisation 

Ahmadou Ahidjo ruled the country with an iron fist, often clamping down on political decent. However, when President Biya took over with his policy of Rigour and Moralisation, it was the hallmark of the liberalisation of the Cameroonian society. 

Under Biya’s regime, pundits say, Cameroonians have witnessed peace, liberty and political stability. His supporters say democracy is common and elections are ‘free, fair and transparent’.  

It was within his policy of liberalisation that when the wind of change blew across Cameroon, Biya embraced multi-partism, calling on his supporters, who had marched on the streets against multi-partism, to instead gird their loins and face the reality. 

The process of political modernisation, Biya apologists say, is translated by the setting up of institutions that ensure the separation of powers and the security of individual rights through the January 18, 1996, constitutional amendment and the promulgation of the new Criminal Procedure Code, that takes into consideration the rights to defend and to be presumed innocent.

This political freedom is exemplified by the fact that there are now over 300 authorised political parties in the country. 

Meanwhile, in December 2000, considering public opinion, the National Elections Observatory, NEO, was created. In November 2006, after a series of consultative meetings, many civil society organisations reflected on modernising the new method of conducting elections. This resulted in the creation of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, in 2008.

Other Biya supporters say his tenure as Head of State has enabled him to consolidate his democratic achievements (pluralist elections, modern constitution) and to carry out reforms of the State. In addition, they say peace (despite the armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions) and unity have been maintained or better still reinforced.

Freedom of association & the press

Eight years into his tenure, President Biya, in December 1990, signed the Liberty Laws, which safeguarded the rights to freedom of expression and opinion and granted individuals the latitude to hold opinions and to express their ideas freely. This was contrary to what obtained in his predecessor’s tenure, which was an authoritarian and a police state.

Meanwhile, during Biya’s tenure, freedom of speech and opinion are protected by the Cameroonian legislation. At the same time, they are regulated to prevent abuses and to protect national security, public order, public health, and/or public morals. The right to freedom of expression is enshrined in the preamble of the February 1996 constitution, which clearly states that: “…the freedom of communication, of expression, of the press, of assembly, of association and of trade unionism as well as the right to strike shall be guaranteed under conditions fixed by the law”.

The 1990 Liberty Laws granted individuals the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers; either orally, in writing, or print, in the form of art, or through any media of their choice. The law also demands that everybody should be free to express their opinions without fear of oppression or suppression and prohibits the prosecution or persecution of individuals based on their opinions.

Law No 90/52 of December 19, 1990, relating to freedom of Mass Communication, also guarantees freedom of the press and safeguards journalists’ rights to express their opinions and views freely. The law further demands the freedom of the mass media in the dissemination of information to the public. 

It requests that the media be open and accessible to all those who wish to reach out to the larger public. 

However, the same laws provide that competent authorities may restrict the enjoyment of these rights in response to the respect of the rights and reputation of others and for the protection of national security or of public order.

Note that after the promulgation of the 1990 Liberty Laws, there was a proliferation of media organs. That is why there are currently over 600 newspapers alone and other organs in the country. 

Nonetheless, media practitioners say the fact that libel is still a criminal and not a civil offence is stifling press freedom.    

Education

Education is another sector where the Biya regime has recorded achievements within 41 years. 

At the level of Higher Education, from the then lone University of Yaounde, when Biya took overpower, the country can now boost of 11 State Universities. All Regions in the country now have of a State University. There is also a proliferation of private higher institutions of learning.

In the Basic, Secondary and High School levels, secularisation has improved drastically, and several hundreds of schools have been built or upgraded.

President Biya’s policy has been education for all and prioritising proximity of schools to learners. 

Under the Biya regime, all of the country’s 360 Subdivisions can boost of at least a Secondary School, talk less of Primary Schools. Thanks to this, analysts say Cameroon will be able to achieve Sustainable Development Goal Number Two - universal primary education for boys and girls. 

Diplomacy

The Biya regime has achieved many feats as far as diplomacy is concerned. 

One of such that stands out is his tactful legal and diplomatic handling of the Bakassi crisis between Cameroon and Nigeria. After Cameroon won at the level of International Court of Justice, ICJ, there was seemly some resistance on the part of Nigeria. 

But Biya, being peace-loving, embraced the United Nations, UN-mediated negotiation that ended with the Greeetree Accord, signed by President Biya and the then President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, and then UN Secretary, General, the late Koffi Annan.   

Sports

Within 41 years of Biya at the helm of State, Cameroon has recorded an avalanche of achievements in the domain of sports. 

Just two years into his tenure, Cameroon won the African Cup of Nations, AFCON, in 1984. The country followed with a record-making performance at the 1990 World Cup, beating cup holders, Argentina, and going on right to the quarterfinals of the tournament. This was the first time an African country got to that stage of the World Cup. 

During Biya’s tenure, Cameroon has won the AFCON five times. The Indomitable Lions also won gold medal at the 2000 Sidney Olympics. 

In other sports domains, Cameroon, under President Biya, has been excelling in athletics, volleyball, handball, cycling, boxing and martial arts, among others.

Cameroon also hosted the Women AFCON in 2016, African Nations Championship, CHAN, in 2020, and AFCON in 2021. With these came a remarkable improvement in sports infrastructures with stadiums built and others renovated. 

The country has also hosted several international volleyball and basketball competitions. 

Consolidation of national unity, integration

Supporters of President Biya have also been hailing him for his efforts to promote national unity and integration. Living together has been one of the mantras of the CPDM regime, despite what observers say are some occurrences that put spanners in the works as far as unity and national integration are concerned.

In the wake of the Anglophone crisis, which has morphed into an armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions, Biya created the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, to put forth solutions for consolidating national unity and strengthening the resolve and actions in the pursuit of peaceful coexistence, in strict respect of the country’s constitution and institutions. 

Economic resilience 

In 41 years of the Biya regime, the economy of the country has been resilient.

Despite the difficult global economic downturn, Cameroon’s economy has been able to adapt to the international situation, showing resilience. Its growth rate this year, has increased slightly to around 3.8%, compared to 3.6% in 2021.

According to the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT, Alamine Mey, this year, inflation remained moderate, well below the world average. Access to inputs has been guaranteed, allowing manufacturing activities to continue and reducing the risk of food insecurity. All these were made possible by strong measures implemented by the government.

“Thus, in addition to the increase in tax and customs facilities granted as part of the post-COVID-19 recovery plan, the Head of State has highlighted that significant subsidies be granted to companies in vulnerable sectors, to support the viability and competitiveness of national economy,” the MINEPAT boss said.

He added that: “According to the Head of State, Paul Biya, the fight against abusive speculative misconducts and illegal exports of primary commodities has been intensified. Encouraging progress has also been made in strengthening local production, reducing dependence upon imports and promoting “Made in Cameroon” brand.

This may have been one of the reasons at the end of an International Monetary Fund, IMF, review mission on November 1, 2023, the IMF delegation gave the Cameroon government a pass mark as far as the management of the national economy is concerned.

Cemile Sancak, head of the IMF mission, said they were in accord with the government as far as major objectives of government, as reflected in the strategic document for national development, SND-30, are concerned.

Healthcare

Outstanding among the Biya regime’s achievements for 41 years has been healthcare.

Yaounde has decreed free treatment for complicated malaria for children below five years. This is an issue of national interest as malaria remains the number one killer disease in Cameroon and the number one enemy of the poor. 

The regime has also been fighting rigorously against diseases like polio, through systemic vaccination of children below five years. It also runs programmes that have reduced the prevalence of HIV/AIDS within many communities in Cameroon. In addition, thousands of HIV/AIDS patients are being treated free of charge, in Cameroon. 

While COVID-19 was a bane to many countries, some of them even in the developed world, experts say the Biya regime took several laudable measures to stem the spread of the disease in Cameroon. Government’s actions, they say, drastically curbed the number of deaths and infections recorded in Cameroon. 

In terms of health infrastructure, almost all communities can now boost of at least a Health Centre. All of the country’s ten Regions have a Regional Hospital. Majority of the Regions have Reference Hospitals.  

Nonetheless, health experts say much is still to be done to boost the health sector in terms of equipment, infrastructure and staffing.  

Belated decentralisation

Decentralisation was enshrined in the 1996 constitution of Cameroon. However, it remained in doldrums until recently when government began putting in place structures to fast-track the country’s decentralisation process.

In this light, President Biya created the Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development “in charge of drafting, monitoring, implementing and assessing Government policy on decentralisation and promoting local development”. The said ministry also plays a key role in providing qualified manpower for local governance in the decentralisation drive.

In speeding decentralisation, the Head of State also created Regional Councils and reinstated the House of Chiefs in the North West and South West Regions. This is gradually moving Cameroon from a highly centralised to a decentralised State.

However, local development actors, such as mayors, are still pushing for the allocation of 15% of the State budget to councils.

The Bad

Notwithstanding the above, the Biya regime, in 41 years, has failed to reach the benchmark of expectations by Cameroonians. There are several sectors of national life, which, analysts say, the regime has been lacking in.

The Biya regime, for 41 years, has been one of sloganeering and what analysts termed “failed promises”.  It has moved one slogan to another such as “Grand Ambitions”, “Grand Chantier”, “Grand Realisations”, among others with nothing to show for. 

When Biya took over power in 1982, he announced his New Deal Policy. Cameroonians, yearning for a break with the past under the Ahidjo administration, looked up to him for the New Deal package of democracy, rights, freedoms, economic and social development, among others.

But some analysts say Cameroonians have continued to wallow in something worse than what can be termed the ‘old deal’ under the late President Ahmadou Ahidjo. For instance, analysts say Biya took over a land over-flowing with milk and honey. But today, a majority of Cameroonians barely eke a living.

Roads

For 41 years, Cameroonians have been lamenting over the state of roads in many towns and communities in the country. 

It should be recalled that during one of his visits to the North West Region, in the early 80s, Biya had said he would personally supervise the tarring of the Bamenda Ring Road. But today, over four decades after, the people are still waiting for him to supervise, even remotely, the tarring of the Ring Road, which remains a nightmare to travellers on that stretch.

Road infrastructure has been a bane to socioeconomic development during Biya’s tenure. With most roads, including farm-to-market roads, been unpassable, rural dwellers find it difficult to transport farm produce to markets.

Even in the political capital, Yaounde, roads in the city are eyesores.

Still in the transport sector, the few airports in the country, which are functional, have remained a “national shame,” since Biya’s ascension to the helm of State.

Bloated government

Another aspects of the Biya regime that has been attracting aspersions from critics is the bloated nature of the government, with 64 ministers. With this, analysts say, there are several overlapping functions, ushering in inertia within the State apparatus.

Analysts cite the education sector, for example, with five ministries viz: Ministry of Basic Education, Ministry of Secondary Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training and the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation.

Analysts say Biya has bloated the government in order to satisfy his political cronies, at the detriment of the State, in terms of “excessive government expenditures”.

Lack of social amenities

The lack of social amenities such as electricity, water, domestic gas and other basic necessities have been one of the issues that have pitted the Biya regime against the Cameroonian citizenry. 

In the case of electricity, blackouts have been recurrent, both in rural and urban areas. 

Despite the Biya regime’s investment of colossal sums of money in the construction of hydroelectricity dams, Cameroon continues to suffer from electricity outages. Sometimes there are as many as ten electrical outages per month, which last an average of two hours each.

Though with tremendous natural resources, Cameroon’s electricity woes, experts say, continue due to aging infrastructure in the sector.

The cost of accessing energy services is perceived as very high by the poor. 

In the case of domestic gas and kerosene, the cost is still very high in relation to the income level of the rural and peri-urban poor. Still in the electricity sector, people complain, among other things, of high tariffs and uncertified metres.

High unemployment

Unemployment, analysts say, is one of the issues the Biya regime has failed to sufficiently address in 41 years. 

Youth unemployment, in particular, has been cancerous in the 41 years of the New Deal regime. 

Prior to the 2011 presidential election, the Biya regime launched the massive recruitment of 25,000 Cameroonian youth into public service. Logically, analysts say, it was a political campaign strategy. 

Despite the fact that 25.000+ Cameroonians, the youth inclusive, were recruited into the public service, it is important to highlight that the massive recruitment was alleged to have been flawed by irregularities, nepotism and corrupt practices.

Many university graduates are still roaming the streets in search of jobs. Some have resorted to driving taxis, riding commercial motorbikes and washing cars, among other unskilled jobs, to earn a living. 

Huge internal, external debts

One of the banes of the Biya regime has been its ever-increasing internal and external debts. In the last two decades, the broke Biya regime has been on borrowing spree.

According to an IMF publication dated May 20, 2023, “Cameroon remains at high risk of debt distress while its overall debt sustainability indicators have deteriorated somewhat compared to the previous DSA, mainly due to external shocks; including a weaker exchange rate, as well as due to domestic factors such as lower real growth projections. The debt carrying capacity is weaker as suggested by the latest score of the Composite Index (CI), and the bond spread is above the benchmark value”.

IMF said the external debt stock of Cameroon is estimated at 8,766 billion FCFA (32.8 percent of GDP) and domestic debt at 3,908 billion FCFA (14.6 percent of GDP).

Absentee landlord

Meanwhile, throughout his stay in power, analysts have described President Biya as more of an absentee landlord.

Biya is on record as the one person who does not go out for election campaigns, even when he is presidential candidate, but sends other people to campaign for him.

He has been some sort of a myth, rarely appearing in public. Even when there are natural disasters or tragedies that warrant the Head of State to go to the scene, he is never seen there. This has been the case of natural disasters such as the recent landslide in Mbakolo, Yaounde, the landslide in Bafoussam, West Region on October 28, 2019, and the Edea train accident in October 2016, among others. 

The last time President Biya showed up after a natural disaster in the country was after the Mount Cameroon eruption in 2000.

Tinkers with constitution to stay in power

One of the things that Biya’s opponents are still to come to terms with, is the fact that he tinkered with the constitution in 2018, scrapping the presidential term limits to allow him run for another mandate and stay in power till death does him part.

Biya would not have been ineligible to run in 2011 if the ruling party-dominated parliament had not voted the constitutional amendments three years earlier. He eventually won a sixth term and then won again in 2018.

The Ugly

The Biya regime, for the last 41 years, also has its ugly side.

Armed conflict in NW, SW

The image of Cameroon as an island of peace in a turbulent Central African Subregion, was erased when the Anglophone crisis sparked in late 2016.

The Anglophone crisis, which has escalated into armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions, is one of the issues that have tainted the image of the Biya regime.

The bloodletting in the crisis-hit Anglophone Regions continues, while the government goes on with its measures that have been termed cosmetic, by analysts. Government’s measures to end the armed conflict, analysts say, have not yielded palpable results. 

Some analysts say despite the holding of the Major National Dialogue and the institution of Special Status in the two English-speaking Regions, government must show goodwill for a genuine, inclusive and third party-mediated dialogue to end the imbroglio.

Endemic corruption

Corruption has been endemic within the Biya regime, with State functionaries easily dipping their hands into the public till.

However, analysts say Biya has selected a few pilferers and put them behind bars; whereas many have dirtied their hands, one way or the other, while performing State functions.

Though Biya has created structures to fight against corruption such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission, CONAC, National Agency for Financial Investigation, ANIF and Audit Bench of the Supreme Court, embezzlement and corruption continue to be rife within government circles. 

Analysts say Biya’s failure to make functional Article 66 of the constitution that compels State functionaries to declare their assets before and after office, is a speed brake to the fight against corruption.

Heightening tribalism, nepotism, insecurity   

The phenomenon of tribalism, hate speech, exclusion and marginalization, have been on a constant rise in Cameroon.

In a country with close to 300 ethnic groups, analysts say the Biya regime must step up measures to curb tribalism, nepotism and hate speech, among others.

Some analysts say tribalism in Cameroon is born out of inequities and injustices that generate frustration.

Political analysts say there have been cases wherein indigenes of some localities have openly attacked non-indigenes, wounding and even killing some. This was the case of Sangmelima, in Biya’s South Region of origin, in October 2019 and May 2023. Indigenes had attacked non-indigenous Bamouns, in the town in bloody clashes.

Observers say given the fact that Biya himself did not personally address the issue, speaks volumes of a regime “incapable of cleaning its own mess”.

Notwithstanding, congratulatory messages have been pouring in from both acolytes and adversaries, as President Biya and his supporters empty to the streets today, to ‘celebrate’ his 41 years in power and still counting.