At Master’s degree defense: Weh Fon urges gov’t to tailor election laws to meet int’l standards.

The 2nd class monarch made the recommendation Monday while defending a Master’s Degree dissertation. The research work was defended on the Yaounde campus of the Heritage Higher Institute of Peace and Development Studies, HEHIPEDS.

The Master’s Degree defended from the Department of Peace Studies and Humanitarian Action, was supervised by erudite varsity don, Prof Willibroad Dze-Ngwa. 

The research work, titled: “The Integrity of Elections in Cameroon: Examining Elections Cameroon and the Constitutional Council’s Impact on Democracy and Peacebuilding”, attracted a score of 18/20 as declared by the president of the Jury.

Fon Mbuh II who had previously bagged a Master’s Degree in Private Law from the University of Bamenda, explained to the jury that after a careful study of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, and the Constitutional Council: “We discovered in the field that first; Cameroon is rich in terms of the legal frameworks that govern election matters”.

He said several institutions have been created to guarantee free, fair and transparent elections in Cameroon, but quickly regretted that practically Cameroon seems not to be willing to guarantee and support the promotion of democracy. 

The PhD fellow explained that drawing from institutional lapses noticed in course of the research, there was need for adjustments to be made.

He told the jury that there was absolute need for Cameroon to tailor its own laws to meet international standards citing the African charter on elections and governance which he described as key to institutional freedom in election management.

“…therefore, we thought that Cameroon needs to align its laws to meet these regional and international standards,” the scholar said, insisting on the need for ELECAM to be reformed to truly become an independent body.

Fon Mbuh II was blunt that: “The word that ELECAM is independent shouldn’t only appear on paper, it should be seen to be practiced and done. If we say an institution is independent and yet we see interferences from the state, it therefore means that it is just a blanket term that ELECAM is independent”.

He insisted that: “Cameroon needs to do its obligation by ensuring that they guarantee ELECAM the right it deserves. The intervention of the Ministry of Territorial Administration in election matters is out of place; it doesn’t meet international norms for election management”.

He continued that: “There is also the issue of appointments. To us, this where the bone of contention is. By appointing members of the Constitutional Council and board members of ELECAM…makes it difficult for them to carry out their task freely because he who has appointed, has stakes and that stake must be respected”. 

“We are recommending that like what obtains in order countries, there should be a separate selection committee drawn from civil society organisations, political parties that are represented in the National Assembly, and some persons of goodwill like religious authorities, traditional rulers who can constitute the committee …these appointments should come by will… people should apply to take up those positions. The committee should put in place very strict criteria which they must publish to the public. Let people see them to be transparent in their act,” he concluded.

About the candidate

Fon Mbuh II, born Nji Wuning Ache, was midwifed November 3, 1984 in Weh. He is currently a PhD fellow in English Private Law in the University of Bamenda. 

He obtained a Master’s in English Private Law from the same university and a Diploma in Guidance and Counselling.

Fon Mbuh II is a graduate of the Higher Teacher Training College, Maroua and also holds a degree in Law & Political Science from the University of Dschang. 

He won the FETZE KAMDEM Prize as the Best Graduating Student of the LLB Batch of 2007, of the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Dschang. 

He has a broad work experience as he served as Chief of Service for School Mapping & Counselling at the Divisional Delegation of Secondary Education for Momo.

In 2019, he was chief of Service for School Mapping & Counselling at the Divisional Delegation of Secondary Education for Menchum.

Similarly in 2018, he was Statistician and School Mapping Officer at the Regional Delegation of Secondary Education for the North West.

He occupied the position of Interim Chief of Service for School Mapping and Counselling Regional Delegation of Secondary Education for the North West and later Statistician at Regional Delegation of Secondary Education for the North West.

At present, he is Technical Adviser; North West Association of Guidance Counsellors and Liaison Officer at the Regional Delegation of Secondary Education North West for the follow up and Implementation of the North West Annual Anti-Corruption Plan.

The humble traditional ruler served as Secretary of Regional Commission for Private Education North West. 

Similarly, he was Chairperson of the Prize Award Committee for National School Sport Games, FENASSCO ‘A’ GAMES in the North West Region.

Salient to recall that he served as Field Officer at Women in Alternative Action, WAA Cameroon. The maverick had earlier served as Jurist and Research Officer at the Ning & Co. Truth & Honesty Law Office, Bamenda. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3650 of Tuesday December 09, 2025