To ensure transformation of youth in constituency: Lebialem junior senator, Lekunze Clinton, pledges to use sports, education.

This year’s celebration was marked by the holding of the first-ever Youth Parliamentary Congress staged February 9. It brought together junior senators and youth parliamentarians from across the ten regions of the country.

Speaking after taking the oath of office, which last for a one-year period, the youth senator disclosed to The Guardian Post his motivation for becoming a junior senator and the plans he has for his constituency. 

“What motivated me is because we the youth have been having exchanges and we discovered that getting to the senior senators becomes difficult at times,” Lekunze stated. 

“So that motivated me to be that bridge between the youth and the senior senators so that our pleas and worries will go directly to our senators and elites of division and region,” he added. 

When such link is established, the youth senator stressed that the youth will get solutions to their worries easily. 

“Also, we have admired the ways of our senior senators and we want to build a cycles where we are going to channel our issues directly to them and to have solutions to our challenges easily,” he reiterated. 

Plans for constituency

As youth senator, Lekunze has a one-year mandate during which he says much has been envisaged for his peers.

“We know about the crisis rocking our regions and Lebialem division is not excluded. So I will engage our senior senators so that we can involve the youths in sporting activities,” Lekunze stated. 

According to the finance inspector cum junior senator, sporting activities will be organized to galvanize the youth around the concept of peace and living together even in a crisis context.

“We are going to organize them to preach peace, impact of the crisis and see how to bring out some of the youths in the bushes,” he noted. 

With a view of working with senior senators and elite of the region, junior senator Lekunze mentioned that he will also lay emphasis on the importance of education

“Concerning Lebialem in particular, we are going to sensitize the youths on the importance of education, organize some youth to give voluntary services in schools,” he stated, before reiterating that: “We will also talk to the senior elite to see if they can subsidize education in these areas so as to encourage those that are discouraged and giving up on education”.  

But who is Lekunze Clinton?

Born on October 10, 1994, Lekunze hails from the Royal family of Nchingang, Bamumbu in Wabane Subdivision, Lebialem Division. 

He is a holder of Bachelor's Degree in Law, Master’s Degree in International Law with specialisation in International Criminal Law, all obtained from the University of Buea.

Presently, he is pursuing a dual Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, in Law at the University of Dschang and at the Atlantic International University, USA.

The prince has equally completed studies at the Ngaoundal Armed Forces Training and Development Centre-CPEFAN as well as the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM, Yaounde as Inspector of Finance.  

Lekunze has held various professional positions. He has lectured Economics and Philosophy in different schools such as GHS Ashing, GHS Banteng, GTC Dih and GBHS Wumundeng-Ashong, before transitioning to the field of finance, serving as associate in several law firms in Buea.

The dynamic 29-year-old later took up positions as a tax collector with Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance known as FEICOM, financial data collector with the Tiko Council.

He has also had professional internships in different institutions including the Department of Standardisation and Stores Accounting in the Ministry of Finance, Yaounde; Regional Finance Control, South West; Limbe City Council and General Directorate of Budget, Yaounde. 

He has since been at the disposal of the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reform, Yaounde, undertaking related services of the Ministry of Finance. 

Often described as ‘Advocate of the Voiceless’ by his peers due to his participation in community outreach programmes, he is the Divisional President of the Cameroon National Youth Council for Lebialem.