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The civil cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon has in a confidential message to the country’s Ambassador in Switzerland ordered for measures to be taken in order to facilitate the presence of Cameroonian Soldiers in Switzerland to protect President Paul Biya.
The civil cabinet indicated that 86-year-old Biya will be visiting Switzerland for a one month private stay and the Ambassador should obtain Dutch authorization for the presence of armed Cameroonian soldiers within the same period.
The document says 11 elements of Cameroon’s National Defense and Security forces will accompany the ailing President with a total of 630 ammunitions.
The soldiers most of whom are from the Center Region and the President’s South Region of origin are.
-Colonel HALLONG ETIENNE born in1947 in Yaoundé
-Chief of Battalion MENDEME Roudrigue born in 1980 in Yaoundé
-Squadron Commander MEKA MIKE DAVY born in 1980 in Douala
-Lieutenant MVONDO Alfred born in 1974 in NGOULEMAKONG South Region
-Lieutenant FONKOU MBA BLAISE RUSSEL born in Nkongsamba in 1983
-Azeh LANDRY STESSY born in 1989 in Ebolowa
-Major KOUMBA SYLVESTRE born in 1967 in Douala
-Major NNA MOISE born in Yaoundé on 1977
-LEMA FERDINANT born in 1976 in Bertoua
-NLOUBOULI MAX MOSSAIN born in 1978 NGOVAVANG
-MENDO’O BITEGUE born in 1979 in Djoum
President Biya’s recent visits to Switzerland have been characterized by series of protests around the renowned Continental Hotel in Switzerland from Cameroonians in the Diaspora, who say the president spends tax payers’ money on costly private stays, while the country is faced with serious economic, political and social problems.
The Prime Minister in a document dated April 5th, said government ministers and other state functionaries will not be issued authorisation to travel out of Cameroon for seminars, or conferences under the state’s expense.
The move according to Joseph Dion Ngute is to cut public spendings.
Critics have questioned why President Paul Biya is not included in the decision, given his multiple expensive trips to Switzerland and other parts of Europe.
After the last presidential election in Cameroon, anti Biya protests and demonstrations have increased both in Cameroon and the Diaspora, the most recent being that of the 26th of January 2019, where protesters in their numbers, went on the streets in Germany, France, Switzerland and the UK to denounce the Biya regime.
According to an investigation by the OCCRP, an anti-corruption NGO. In 2006 and 2009, Biya spent a third of the year abroad.
The vast majority of the trips are to Geneva, where Biya frequents the five-star Intercontinental Hotel, accompanied by his wife and a cabal of up to 50 people often with government jobs. Pressing government business doesn’t seem to impede these jaunts.
The OCCRP suggests the total hotel fees and chartered jet costs could be around $182 million (approximately 108billion Francs CFA), over all those trips. The average Cameroonian earns $1,400 (FCFA 700.000) annually, according to the World Bank.
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