The 42-year old regime of 91-year old President Paul Biya has increasingly come under criticism from citizens, civil society and the opposition in recent times.
The genesis is not unconnected to what many view as failures that have bedeviled the regime for the past four decades.
Administrative and government officials have, in the past, been occupied with sounding warnings to the citizenry against insulting what they call state institutions and President Paul Biya, in particular.
Such outings, some analysts say, are unnecessary, given that Cameroon has serious problems as a nation that should be addressed.
Recently, the Senior Divisional Officer for Mfoundi, Njikdent Emmanuel Mariel, issued an order threatening to expel Cameroonians in the Division who criticize State institutions, and incite public disorder.
Days later, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, Minister of Communication and government spokesman, issued a press release titled, “Upsurge in the use of abusive language against the Institutions of the Republic and their representatives within the public space.”
According to the Minister, “It is unacceptable for compatriots, be they political party leaders or opinion leaders, to use irreverent, insulting or even offensive language with regard to the person who is legitimately and happily presiding over the destiny of Cameroon.”
These outings, amongst several others, have left many commentators wondering how criticism against the Biya government amounts to insulting a democracy.
Many have pointed out that the regime is being hunted by it’s failures over the years and they are looking for whom to scapegoat.
Challenges plaguing the country in the sector of road infrastructure, electricity, employment, education, security and defense, and governance, suggest that the regime has failed in delivering on the basic priorities of the Cameroonian people.
Statistics released by the police and gendarmerie revealed that an alarming number of 3,413 road accidents have been recorded from January 1 to July 1 2024.
It further disclosed that these accidents led to 256 deaths and 254 injuries.
The accidents also led to 2,570 cases of material damage, with 635 persons affected in 208 of the accidents.
A majority of the accidents have been attributed to bad roads, which the regime has failed to adequately address.
There is no gainsaying that most roads linking Regions, Divisions, towns and villages in the country are death traps.
Unemployment, cost of living crisis, poor power supply, poor portable drinking water, inadequate access to healthcare, among others, speak volumes of a failing regime.
As if that is not enough, Brenda Biya’s public declaration of being Lesbian has further deepened the rottenness of morality in the country.
Being the daughter of the President of the Republic, many say Brenda’s lesbianism is a testament to Biya’s failure, as a father, and, above all, leader of a nation.
Rather than issuing threats, it is high time the government went back to the drawing board to find out the cause of the so-called ‘Upsurge in the use of abusive language against state institutions.
There is a saying that it is the responsibility of the government of the day to make citizens believe in state institutions through responsible leadership.
