When successive deaths accentuate imbalance in legislature.

The death of the first two Statesmen, who served the country for decades, has left no vacuum. But that of Nfor Tabetando adds to media reports that there are some 40 empty seats gathering dust with 23 Members in Parliament and 18 in the Senate.

Lawmakers of passed memory who were voted early in 2020, have not been replaced as stipulated in the Electoral Code, which in its Section 155 explicitly states that: “When one or more seats become vacant in a constituency; either because of death or resignation, by-elections shall be held within a period of twelve months; following the occurrence of the vacancy”. 

The law further specifies the procedures under Sections 153 and 154, adding that only parties that contested the original general election in that constituency may take part in the by-elections. 

No by-election is required if the vacancy occurs less than a year before the end of the legislative term. In the case of a senator, Section 219 of the Electoral Code states that: “In case of the death of an elected senator, by-elections shall be held in the Region concerned”.

For appointed senators, the code stipulates that a new senator shall be appointed to complete the term. The death toll has further been exacerbated by the controversial extension of a five-year mandate, which started in 2020 to December 20, 2026, for parliamentarians.

The executive, which is in charge to ensure the law is implemented, has not done so and the legislators themselves have never bothered to question the government on such violation of an issue that is in their domain.

There are consequences for such lapses, especially in a country where there have been complaints of injustice in the distribution of parliamentary seats; with a Region like the South, for instance, with a population comparable to that of Bamenda city, having 11 parliamentarians, while Bamenda and Bali have just one!

The unfilled vacancies left by dead members of the second realm of State further aggravates such disparity in the distribution of parliamentary seats and representation.

They create an irritating imbalance in parliamentary representation, where the distribution of seats does not accurately reflect the voting population or diversity of society; thus brewing significant democratic, operational, and social disadvantages not good for national cohesion.

As various research studies have indicated, "when seats are unrepresentative, the link between voters and their representatives is broken. Voters may feel their vote has no impact, leading to apathy, lower voter turnout in other elections, and reduced trust in democratic institutions".

Other disadvantages include: If a government passes laws without the support of the  representation of other constituencies,  its decisions may be viewed as legal  but not legitimate, thus reducing voluntary compliance with laws.

In such systems of inequitable representation, they often fail to represent smaller political parties, minority groups, or diverse viewpoints, causing the non-represented voices to be ignored in policy-making.

An imbalanced legislature can also result in policies that favour the geographical areas or demographic groups that are over-represented, while neglecting the needs of marginalised or under-represented communities. Exceptionally small opposition, hampering the ability of Parliament to hold the executive accountable. That can lead to a lack of scrutiny of the executive branch of State.

Imbalances due to dead lawmakers who are not replaced can also foster high-levels of uncertainty and exacerbate hyper-partisanship that often leads to dictatorial regimes.

The disadvantages as the researchers find out can "underscore the importance of ensuring that parliaments accurately reflect the demographic and political diversity of the citizens they serve". 

This is seen in situations where Parliament has been associated with "handclapping" to pass government bills, a sensitive issue which is not just a legal hype but has crystallised into deep-seated tensions and institutional uncertainty in a country where at least four ministerial positions are vacant or with interim ministers. Yet, there is pervasive unemployment in the country!

Their hype is not just about vacancies everywhere in the midst of whopping unemployment. It is not just a political issue, an economic matter of sorts or filling vacancies.

It is an issue of service to the people, and taking the views of everyone through their representatives into consideration in decisions- making that are guided by law and more importantly legitimacy which should explain why the alarming number of empty seats in parliament and senate should be filled for the interest of national unity and equity.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3786 of Monday May 11, 2026