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A week into campaigns for municipal and legislative elections, Lebialem division in the South West region remains void of any campaign poster, political rally or any other activity that signals an eminent election in the division.
A source in Menji, a town in Lebialem division on the basis of anonymity told Mimi Mefo Info that “Red Dragon fighters practically control the entire division. They impose their laws and battle with the military on daily bases. There is total insecurity”.
In line with the testimony of the inhabitant of Lebialem division, the Social Democratic Front (SDF) Member of parliament aspirant and his campaign team have not dared to carry out campaign in the division.
In a telephone interview with Mimi Mefo Info while in his Yaounde residence in the Centre region, Denis Nkemlemo says “I am in Yaounde but my team and I are doing a lot of groundwork. I am talking with the local population in Lebialem, local administrative officials, and workers of ELECAM. I am in synergy with so many people.”
The national secretary for communication of the SDF however failed to mention how he has been communicating and campaigning to people in Lebialem while in Yaounde.
“Mr Journalist let me tell you that campaign this year is not a conventional one as before. Extraordinary situations demand extraordinary strategies. I am challenging you to find out if any candidate has been to the three subdivisions in Lebialem division to campaign. This is to show how the situation is difficult for all of us.”
To him, seeking the lone parliamentary seat in Lebialem division has been motivated by his zeal to contribute significantly in resolving the crisis in the division. “I feel that the high degree of radicalization in the division springs from years of abandonment of the population by the regime in place. Some elites of the division have not been telling decision makers the truth of the situation to permit the process of designing appropriate solutions”.
Questioned on what he will do if voted into office on February 9, 2020, Denis Nkemlemo is firm “… I will invest in the process building the capacity of the people”. To him, championing for genuine dialogue while at the national assembly will be his priority. By this, he posits that as an MP, he won’t be there to applaud government’s wrong doing but to inject constructive criticisms.
He holds firmly that justice, dropping of guns, durable peace and reconciliation are indispensable items in fast tracking peace in Lebialem division.
Denis Nkemlemo opines that the government of Cameroon since 2016 has invested in war in Lebialem but he intends to change the narrative by investing in peace that will benefit everyone.
With three subdivisions, that is Alou, Fontem and Wabane to take care of with just FCFA eight million parliamentary grants from the national assembly annually, the MP aspirant thinks he will source funding from the government and equally lobby with international nongovernmental organizations around the world to properly address the needs of the people.
Denis Nkemlemo laments that before now unscrupulous contractors have not been executing projects in the division. This, he says, will be a thing of the past as he will personally be on guard for projects allocated to be well executed.
With just few days left for the voting on the 9th of February, the aspiring MP for Lebialem division refuses to declare when his team intends to go out for campaign in a division worst hit by Ambazonian/military violence since 2016.
Mimi Mefo Info.
