50th anniversary of Unitary State:
SDF rejects gov’t’s conditions, announces May 20 boycott

By Amina Hilda

The opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF party has denied to fulfil conditions set by the government to participate in tomorrow’s march past in Yaounde to mark 50 years of the unitary state.

The decision is the content of a release issued Wednesday May 18 by the Centre Regional Chairman of the party Emmanuel Ntonga. In the release, Ntonga said, the party cannot fulfil the obligation of carrying President Paul Biya’s effigy among others.

The obligation among others, he said , are meant to coerce the SDF into singing praises to the glory of President Paul Biya while SDF materials are prohibited from the exercise.

” Any SDF supporter or executive member who takes part in this march pass must be aware of his implicit support for a regime in agony which would like to adopt the state of exhaustion of a man who’s thirst is to remain in power,” Ntonga noted.

The release revealed that the SDF party was requested to apply in order to participate in the May 20 March past. He added that, the SDF finds the conditions inappropriate especially given its Federalist position. He further stated that party cannot take part in a march past that promotes the Unitary State.
He recalled that, on May 20, 2018, SDF supporters marched at the May 20 Boulevard in Yaounde shirtless and brandishing messages calling on the Biya regime to take urgent actions to end the Anglophone crisis.

He further accused the government of handling the crisis with levity, adding that nearly 4,000 civilians have died in the crisis while over 60,000 persons have become refugees.

Ntonga also condemned what he said were persons hired to take part in march past rehearsals ahead of tomorrow’s event.
To recall that besides the request to carry only Biya’s effigy, parties have also been tasked to ensure its supporters produce a negative COVID-19 test not older than 48 hours to the event. Parties have also been asked to ensure that if they must carry any banners or placards, the messages must be approved by the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic.

Mobile phones and any flag other than that of Cameroon have also been banned during tomorrow’s event. The conditions were made public by the Senior Divisional Officer for Mfoundi, Emmanuel Mariel Djikdent.