Attack on National Chairman’s convoy in Biya’s region: SDF blasts regime, accuses CPDM of fanning hate, tribalism.

Given the wave of reactions to the happenstance, the SDF has qualified the outplay as being the outcome of the regime’s machinations to fan hate, division and xenophobia.

Those who accompanied the SDF Chairman to the South Region lap of his ongoing national tour, said residents of the area made derogatory remarks and vowed to stop him from advancing. 

SDF accuses CPDM of staging attack

Though the identities of those who mounted the barricades are yet to be established, the SDF, in a statement attributed to its Shadow Cabinet Minister for Information and the Media, Nguidjol Ngan, said those who attacked the convoy were supporters of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM party.

Ngan stated that the residents disrupted what had been a peaceful regional tour, when the convoy got to the Akom II-Biwung Bulu lap. 

The statement indicated that, “groups of individuals claiming to be supporters of the Cameroon people’s Democratic Movement, CPDM party and clearly identified as such by their attire, erected numerous barricades on the various routes taken by our National Chairman’s delegation”.

Hate, discrimination hurled on Osih, delegation

Further detailing what the party said is a difficult terrain coupled with poor roads, the Ngan-signed statement said the residents of the localities where the incident took place, hurled “insults, hateful and discriminatory remarks, threats and intimidation of all kinds at our comrades”.

The SDF indicated that irrespective of the incident, which it interprets as having been meant to dampen the morale of the party’s National Chairman, they went ahead to pursue their objectives.

Special security measures for Hon Osih

Further qualifying the development as “a worrying situation”, the SDF called on the government to “take its responsibility for the personal safety of Hon Chief Joshua Osih and his entire delegation”. 

The party also urged government to ensure the SDF National Chairman enjoys maximum security as he continues his nationwide tour.

SDF accuses malicious entrepreneurs

While the SDF National Chairman is yet to personally comment on the Biwung Bulu incident, the political configuration argues that he has shown statesmanship in the face of machinations from agents of hate and division.

The party said Hon. Osih has shown, “great qualities as a statesman, which he demonstrated in the face of the fury of these small groups of compatriots on the pay roll of a few malicious entrepreneurs, birds of tribalism and promoters of hate speech”.

Biya’s region & challenge of opposition presence

The Head of State’s native South Region has in recent years been a difficult terrain for the opposition. 

In the heat of the 2018 presidential poll, it was the opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC of Prof Maurice Kamto, that encountered hindrances in some localities.

MRC supporters came under attack in some communities while in other circumstances, the party found it difficult to be granted authorisation to conduct rallies.

On Saturday August 26, 2023, a detachment of security forces disrupted a meeting of MRC supporters in Sangmelima, Dja and Lobo Division of the South Region. 

The opposition party supporters then had been banking on an earlier authorisation which was later withdrawn.

Barricade subtle message to SDF, Hon Osih?

Given the context of his current national tour to build momentum for elections in 2025, analysts have been reading beyond the barricades raised against Osih on Sunday.

Those who master the frightening fear many in Biya’s South Region have for anything opposition, say the protest could have been to forestall any fresh moves to implant the SDF in the South Region.

For one thing, Hon Osih Joshua, Hon Cabral Libii of the opposition Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN and MRC’s Kamto, are among the few egg heads being sized up as having what it takes to give the CPDM a run for its money in any election.

The slight glitches of outright hate and maneuvers that takes the political progress of the country backwards, analysts say, could be a calculated attempt to keep certain actors at bay, even before the electorate is summoned.