Urgent need for cabinet reshuffle!.

His health is said to have deteriorated after reports that he fell ill during the National Day celebrations at the Presidency on May 20 last year. 

Witnesses report that he collapsed, marking the beginning of visible signs of his worsening condition.

 As a result, he was conspicuously absent at this year's fiesta at which New Year's wishes were presented to the Head of State, on January 10.

Since local medical facilities were not equipped to handle his deteriorating health condition, a request is said to have been submitted for medical evacuation to the President of the Republic.

After prolonged negotiations, likely due to disagreements within the administration over allowing the evacuation as reported in the media, he left the country late January this year for Europe.

The evacuation triggered ongoing public and media debates surrounding his role in government. 

At 82, Laurent Esso has been at the helm of the Ministry of Justice since 2011 and remains one of the key figures in Biya’s administration. 

His extensive political career and loyalty to the President have solidified his reputation as a cornerstone of the regime, and he still enjoys the confidence of the Head of State.

His health is also said to have delayed the holding of the Higher Judicial Council, which appoints, promotes and sanctions corrupt magistrates. 

Even though being President Biya's Vice in the Council, he is actually the kingpin in the deliberations.

With his challenging health situation, Jeune Afrique, last week, reported that: "From his hospital bed, Laurent Esso confided to his relatives his desire to retire from public life, after an exceptionally long career".

As a proverb goes, "it is he who wears the shoe who knows where it pinches."

Esso is a magistrate by profession, and if he had not gone into politics, he would have retired some 23 years ago.

The Guardian Post understands that the Biya government has been operating for long with four yawning vacancies by death.

Among these ministers who died between 2021 and 2023, were Adoum Gargoum, Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations, who passed on to glory on Monday, March 8, 2021, in Yaounde.

Alim Hayatou, Secretary of State to the Minister of Public Health, died on April 5, 2021, while Clémentine Ananga Messina, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, died on August 5, 2022, in Türkiye following a brief illness.

Finally, Gabriel Dodo Ndoke, Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, died on January 21, 2023, in Yaounde.

Following the empty seats, several reshuffles have been speculated by the media, especially given that President Biya is known to have been changing members of his regime after every election. That has not been the case in some two past polls. 

With the prolonged absence of the Minister of Justice and his reported intention to have a deserved retirement, the need for a reshuffle should now be more urgent than in the past. 

As the Minister of Justice is sick out of the country and unlikely to return any time soon, the Minister Delegate in the ministry, Jean De Dieu Momo, may be acting in his place but given the sensitivity of the ministry and coming from a lame opposition party, he can surely not be a square peg in a square hole.

The last meeting of the Higher Judiciary Council, which has the paramount role of appointing, promoting and punishing corrupt magistrates, last held on August 20, 2020. It has since failed to hold for some four years running.

It is after that meeting, which should be yearly, that new magistrates graduating from ENAM each year take an oath which President Biya in 2020, said is "a source of inspiration for you and commitment to the service of a credible justice system that is attached to its principles, endowed with competent personnel, and appreciated by our fellow citizens”.

Vexing delays in court cases, leading to congested prisons, are often attributed to shortage of magistrates, yet there are said to be hundreds of judiciary staff who have graduated from ENAM and cannot take up service because of the inability of the Higher Judicial Council to meet pand post them.

Minister Esso, by profession, is a renowned magistrate, while Jean de Dieu Momo, is a lawyer not reputed to have held any post in the Bar Council. 

His appointment to the Ministry of Justice is based on political flirting rather than legal ingenuity to qualify him to sit as Esso's interim at the Council.

With the presidential election due in October when there might be numerous litigations as has been in the past, coupled with Esso's reported indication to retire, the time for epideictic rhetoric of attempting to cheat nature is eclipsing. 

There is, therefore, an urgency to renew the government and bring in youth to counter the criticism that the surreal challenges in the country are caused by the inertia of deadwoods who are sitting tight, even in failing health.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3388 of Monday March 10, 2025