Cameroon’s Parliament Concludes Third Ordinary Session

Cameroon’s Parliament Speaker, the Right Honourable Cavaye Yeguié Djibril, urged stakeholders involved in managing the 2025 elections to ensure transparency and peace during the process. Speaking on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at the conclusion of the third ordinary session of parliament, which began on November 12, he emphasised the importance of vigilance and responsibility from citizens and officials alike to uphold democracy and national unity.

Legislative Achievements

During this session, lawmakers passed thirteen critical bills addressing the country’s development priorities, including the 2025 Finance Bill, which sets Cameroon’s state budget at 7,317.7 billion CFA francs. This figure reflects an increase of 39.6 billion CFA francs from the 2024 budget, signalling the government’s focus on fostering peace, social equity, and progress toward becoming an emerging market economy.

Speaker Cavaye described the Finance Bill as a “balanced approach to revenue and expenditure” that aligns with national priorities. Other major bills adopted include:

• The Local Taxation Bill: Designed to boost the efficiency of tax collection, supporting local governance and decentralisation.
• The Civil Protection Bill: Enhancing disaster preparedness and response mechanisms.
• The Personal Data Protection Bill: Protecting citizens’ privacy amidst rapid digital transformation.
• The Civil Registration System Bill: Simplifying and improving the accessibility of the civil registry system.

Safety Warnings Ahead of Festivities

Ahead of year-end festivities, Speaker Cavaye cautioned citizens to prioritise safety to prevent accidents and other hazards. “Enough with the carnage on our roads,” he said, urging authorities to enforce traffic laws strictly during the holiday season.

A Modernized Assembly

The session concluded at the newly inaugurated National Assembly Complex, a gift from the People’s Republic of China. Officially handed over on November 30, 2024, the facility symbolises Cameroon’s modernisation and its strong ties with international partners. Speaker Cavaye expressed gratitude to President Paul Biya and the Chinese government, calling the structure a “testament to the aspirations and dignity” of the nation’s legislature.

As the session ended, Members of Parliament were tasked with returning to their constituencies to share updates and insights from the past 30 days of legislative activity.

Mimi Mefo Info