Ghost towns, a phenomenon that started in the two Anglophone regions on Mondays in 2016, have always seen some level of movement between Douala in the Littoral region and Buea in the Southwest. However, due to a nationwide ghost town called by self-proclaimed presidential election winner Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Buea has been partially affected.
normalised. At Mile 17 Motor Park, the main gateway into the city, about eight cars were lined up to be loaded. They were running clandestine operations, a practice that has become normalized. On other Mondays, drivers would be shouting “Douala! Douala!” But on Monday, November 2, the atmosphere was different.
At the scene, MMI could only hear calls for “Limbe! Limbe!” Of the several cars present, only one was traveling to Douala. Even then, the number of passengers and cars has drastically reduced.
Meanwhile, 70-seater buses that usually travel from Buea to Yaoundé, Bafoussam, and Bamenda were simply parked, indicating that there had been no movement for days—especially for those traveling to Bamenda.
A few drivers were reluctant to comment. Others explained that the situation in Douala has severely complicated travel. For the few cars that manage to leave Buea for Douala, drivers say they can only go as far as Bikoko on the outskirts.
Shops Closed
Though a few passengers and cars were seen at Mile 17, the shops remained completely closed. Mile 17 is normally the bustling hub of the town due to its strategic position for loading cars to Douala, Limbe, Mutengene, Tiko, Muyuka, Kumba, and Mamfe.
With the shops closed, even the roadside bread sellers were absent.
Partial Activities Inside Town
In other areas of the town, activities were closer to normal. In Molyko, taxis were circulating and a few shops were open. Some shop owners opened only partially, sitting outside in case a customer arrived. However, banks and most large businesses were completely closed.
The scene in Molyko differed from Checkpoint, Bonduma, and Great Soppo, where a wider number of shops were seen open.
Schools were operational in most areas, which has been the normal trend in Buea for a while now. Many people have consistently used Mondays for football and community work, a pattern that continued during MMI’s tour of the town.
Security Ramped Up
Amid the slowed activities, there was a heavy security presence throughout the town. Police were stationed at the Mile 17 motorpark, University of Buea junction, a scenario repeated at Checkpoint, Biaka Junction, and Bonduma Gate. This increased militarization has been noticeable since the October 12 presidential election.
Activities in Douala Affecting Buea
Though Douala is kilometers away, its political instability is significantly affecting Buea. The Southwest regional capital depends on Douala for domestic cooking gas and other imported goods among other things.
Currently, a bottle of cooking gas that once sold for 6,000 to 8,000 FCFA now costs over 10,000 FCFA. The same is true for the prices of tomatoes and eggs.
Although Buea may not have fully heeded the ghost town call from Issa Tchiroma Bakary, its dependence on Douala means the city’s activities are still significantly affected.
