High stakes session of parliament opens today.

Given the successive déjà vu outcomes in bureau elections in the last decade, observers say they expect the status quo to remain in place.

This, they say, implies long serving Rt Hon Cavaye Yeguie Djibril would be re-elected to stay on as Speaker of the National Assembly.

At the level of the Senate, Senator Marcel Niat Njifenji, who has largely been absent from public life and the business of the upper chamber of Parliament, is also expected to continue enjoying the confidence of his party and the Head of State, Paul Biya. 

Niat is expected to, as has been his tradition in the last couple of years, answer present on the specific day of the bureau elections and thereafter, recline into obscurity for the Senior Deputy Vice President of the Senate, His Majesty Aboubakary Abdoulaye, to continue the house’s business.

Burden to change nation’s architecture 

The real issue that has made the session of Parliament which will open today particularly unique, for some, are the many reports of a political tsunami of sorts that have preceded its holding. 

Top among them are repeated reports of a pending tinkering of the Constitution to reintroduce the post of Vice President of the Republic.

It is an aspect of national life that has dominated public discourse since President Biya started his current seven-year mandate on November 6, 2025.  

Given Parliament’s position as the sole institution through which such a proposal could be validated, anticipation is high that this is the session Biya could decide to table a Constitutional review bill in this light.

How Parliament will craft or adjust such a bill, if it sees the light of day, is another pointer to why Cameroonians are more than anxious as business resumes today. 

While some are saying that the bill could make the occupant of the Vice Presidency an appointee, others are daring to dream that the same chamber could make the post elective.

The powers and functions of such an office, and if it will be written clearly that it takes into consideration the linguistic makeup of Cameroon, is another dicey work being projected for Parliament. 

Given that the Head of State, Paul Biya, is of Francophone extraction, anxiety is high if Parliament could work such a bill, if it is tabled, to give room for an Anglophone as Vice President.

Instituting such alternations taking into consideration the Francophone and Anglophone makeup of the country, is also expected to affect the leadership of certain institutions and positions nationwide.

Electoral Code begging for adjustments

Across the political spectrum, many have for years been clamouring for changes to the 2012 Electoral Code. There have also been reports that the executive could equally table another bill to adjust the Electoral Code. 

When that happens has also been left to debates but the opposition has continued to push for such changes.

With the political pressure and calls from civil society on the same issue, coupled with what some say could be an imminent shift in political leadership, the necessity to rework the Code is also said to be dawning on the powers that be. If that happens this March, it will also be a rarity.

Biya’s promise fueling expectations

What has fattened public debates about changes to the supreme text of the land and the Electoral Code, is a declaration of the Head of State, on November 6, 2025.

In his inaugural speech after taking the oath of office, then, Biya had promised Cameroonians sweeping changes. This, he remarked, was “conscious of the need to effectively address the concerns of the people”.

The Head of State had promised that, “…we will, during this seven-year term, fast-track the implementation of ongoing projects in various strategic sectors such as energy, water supply, road infrastructure and public health”, adding that: “…it goes without saying that efforts to combat corruption will be stepped up.

The certainty of such presidential declaration that has caused everyone to be looking for new laws is when he also said: “We will also submit to Parliament some reforms to enhance the State’s efficiency by adapting our institutions to the demands of our environment”. 

Over four months on, many believe Biya must have reflected enough to start acting.

Emissions from the rumour mill

With nothing yet certain, texts from unofficial sources have been flooding the public space on changes in the Constitution. 

One of such texts indicates that the post of Vice President of the Republic will be instituted, specifying that if the Head of State is of French extraction, the Vice should be of the English-speaking segment of the country.

The same unofficial text indicates that such linguistic alternation would follow through the General Secretariat of the Presidency and other top positions. 

What pertains to the Electoral Code in such leaked text is the return of presidential term limits to seven years renewable once.

The rumour mill has also been talking of the capping of the age for people to run for the office of President of the Republic at 75. 

There have also been reports of plans to up the deposits fee for presidential candidates from 30 million FCFA to 100 million FCFA. There are also reports that the envisaged revision of the Electoral Code could witness an increase in deposit fees for all elections.  

Changes could set tone for major appointments 

The expected pending changes are said to be what is blocking the new government President Paul Biya promised Cameroonians in his State of the Nation address on December 31, 2025.  On that day, he promised a new government in the “coming days”. 

On the eve of the 60th edition of the Youth Day, February 10, 2026, he added to the formation of a new government, appointment of General Managers, GMs and Directors General, DGs. 

It is believed that once the summit changes see the light of day, Biya will find it easy to play his political cards and set the nation on the path of what he campaigned for in October 2025.

Given the widespread stakes, all eyes are now on Parliament to see what will happen in the next 30 days.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3727 of Tuesday March 10, 2026