Anglophone crisis: those with opposition views paying heavy price in Nkambe

Situated in the North West region of Cameroon, Nkambe is the chief town of Donga Mantung division.

During the February municipal and legislative elections, the ruling CPDM party grabbed a majority of the available seats in the division like most others in the Anglophone regions of the country.

Opposition members and persons with opposing views to the CPDM’s are paying a heavy price for this.

One of those said to be labeled an enemy due to his divergent views is Shey Alfred Sembe.

Sources close to him say “he was kidnapped from his residence in Binshua, Nkambe by the Police commissioner accompanied by nine of his uniform men on March 21st 2020 and he is still in detention at the Nkambe prison in Donga Mantung.”

Relatives add that “He is accused of funding separatist fighters, telling people not to vote else he would call separatist fighters on them, and of being a member of the SCNC (a wing advocating for the independence of Southern Cameroons)”.

Friends of Shey Alfred have described him as an outspoken individual who never relented to talk about rights violations and freedom of speech. He believed in dialogue as solution

” He is abducted for his political views, he supports an open and transparent dialogue about the Southern Cameroons question and supports freedom of speech and participation in political processes” one of them says.

Access to Shey Alfred by both his lawyers and family members they add, has been hard, because “the SDO and Commissioner refused bail”.

Now based in Yaounde, former opposition MP, Awudu Mbaya was one of the last opposition strongmen in Donga Mantung division, but he refused to run in February’s elections citing the ongoing war.

Nkambe however remains one of the most peaceful towns in the North West region with most of its educational institutions still operational.

Mimi Mefo Info