“The best is yet to come.”
This promise is Paul Biya because he runs for the eighth term as the head of the Cameron State. The 92 -year -old has been more than 40 years to shape his country’s destiny: he has been in power since 1982, and if he reappears again on 12 October, the world’s oldest major state may soon stay in office until birthday.
Many residents of the Central African country no longer believe in a better cameron under Biya. Especially young people – more than 36% of the population are under 18 years of age – there are possibilities of unemployment, education and health care among their concerns.
“Bye System”
One of the four camuronians remains below the poverty line. Despite its wealth of oil, natural gas, aluminum, gold, precious wood, coffee, cocoa and cotton, Cameroon is very much dependent on China’s economy, but similar on development aid. Corruption and human rights violations are part of everyday life.
Many Cameronians need shoulder to Bia’s new candidature.
“It’s not surprising,” the student tells Olivier NOGO DW.
“It is just a shame that there are people who do not think of common good, but only have their own interests.”
So how does a politician manage to retain his tight web for 43 years? Especially since Bia has often lived abroad abroad in clinics and for entertainment in Paris and Switzerland.
Christian Clat, the office manager of the Frederick Ebert Foundation (FES) at Cameron, told DW that it is “striking how good it is to capture power.” From within his own camp, voices and opposition repeatedly claim that Bia knows how to play his rivals against each other.
Clat says, “In recent years, no one is able to pose a threat to Biya,” saying that no one is really in the establishment of the threat as Bia’s successor, ether in his ranks or among the largest opposition parties.
“Bia is very good in praising people, transferring the subject to other positions,” CLAT says.
There is no risk of coup in Cameron
Especially in West Africa, disgruntled generals have prepared an electric power in the coup in the past.
Clat consider such a landscape in Cameron to be impossible: “Army, which is always a risk factor in many other countries, has a strong separation of powers with its own structures. No group does not make enough coup enough,” he explains the DW.
Bia’s party, Cameron People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC), has been in power since Cameroon’s independence in 1960 and has been led under the leadership of President Biya since then.
According to CLAT, it is unlikely that Bia will win the election again in the matter: “There are many supporters in his ruling party and the best representation through the country.”
In a small electrical process, RDPC may overtake other opposition parties. In Cameron’s electoral system, a candidate requires only a simple majority to win the election, which greatly benefits Bia.
Lone warrior instead of a joint opposition
One of those who run for Suk Paid Biya is 37 -year -old Hiram Samuel Eodic. He is one of the youngest candidates and was nominated by MP3 (patriotic movement for the prosperity of People’s), which was found in 2018.
“Young people especially have the feeling that the cameron’s electoral system is in line with the ruling party,” Iodi told DW.
“We are telling the young camurons: if we all stick together, we can end this regime that is no longer able to respond to the current concerns of the population,” they say.
Opposition parties failed during the years of opposing Bia’s candidature due to separate ideologies and his internal divisions: A political alliance, Daula group, presidential candidates (22 July) fell shortly before the deadline of presidential candidates (July 22).
Puppet owner in the shadow of the president
However, some experts do not see Biya as a strong man, but are in the form of a full political system. According to political analyst and human rights activist Philip Nang, the real power is no longer in the hands of the President, but among the actors led by the President of the President, Ferdinand Nago Negah.
“The general secretary now signs almost all documents that are coming from the President. He is omnipresent on the ground, leads political missions, and resolve internal conflicts.
Fear of privilege
According to nude, despite his weak health, he is the only one that can preserve the party’s unity.
Says Nanga, “As someone else comes to power as someone else, the party separates. There are already deep internal partitions.” Some officials are opposing the re -election of the President, but do not dare to openly express it openly for more.
Many individual journalists, politicians and activists have been arbitrarily and physically attack in Cameron. In its latest annual report, the non-governmental organization Freedom House refers to attacks on independent media, opposition parties and civil society organizations that have faced restrictions and harassment. ”
Political scientist Ernesto Yen says that fear is one that maintains the front of stability in Bia’s system.
“Whoever dare to bang the door is quickly marginalized,” Yen told DW.
“In fact, everyone is hidden behind Paul Biya’s candidature as it guarantees the protection of their privileges within the power tool. If any other candidate emerges, the party will risk getting stuck.”
Contributor: Kosivi Tiasau, Atien Gatniji, Elizabeth Essen
Edited by Cai Nebe
