Police Defy DO’s Order to Arrest Opposition Leaders at UPC Anniversary

Police officers in Makak, Centre Region, did not execute the Divisional Officer’s order to arrest opposition politicians, including Barrister Akere Muna, who were attending the UPC’s 77th anniversary on Thursday, April 10.

The divisional officer of Makak brought in armed officers to disrupt the UPC anniversary.

The event was coming just over two weeks after the ruling CPDM party held a hitch-free 40th anniversary across the country, with support from the administration and armed forces.

MMI learnt police officers, upon arriving at the UPC event with the DO, took no action against celebrants.

The opposition leaders also stood their ground and refused to be intimidated. They maintained neither they nor UPC militants and sympathisers had committed any wrongdoing.

Frustrated, the DO requested police reinforcement from the nearby town of Eseka, but it wasn’t provided, according to Denis Njang, president of the PAP party, who attended the UPC anniversary.

“I will sincerely use this opportunity to appreciate and thank the professionalism of the security men that refused to execute the DOs ordering our arrest,” he wrote on Facebook.

“A reinforcement was requested from Eseka to execute the order; they also refused. Akere Muna for a NEW REPUBLIC,” Denis Njang added.

Barrister Akere’s supporters see him as the voice of transparency in Cameroon and the man who can turn the country around and end endemic corruption and bad governance.

Persistent Intimidation Tactics

Denis Njang’s party is part of a UPC coalition that has validated Barrister Akere Muna as its candidate for the October presidential election.

He thinks the DO’s attempt to disrupt the UPC anniversary is part of a government strategy to intimidate and fragment the opposition.

The UPC party currently faces a split, as one faction supports the candidature of President Paul Biya while the other backs Barrister Akere Muna.

The pro-Biya side met with the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, in February to declare its support for Biya, who has ruled Cameroon for 42 years.

A similar internal crack has hit the PCRN, another formidable opposition party in Cameroon led by Hon. Cabral Libii.

A faction of the party has also sided with Biya through Minister Atanga Nji.

With just six months to the election, opposition parties say they are finding it difficult to breathe from government intimidation.

Administrative officials are increasingly banning opposition parties from holding public meetings.

The CRM party, led by Prof. Maurice Kamto, who is one of the prominent opposition figures in Cameroon, has faced numerous such bans.

Many municipalities banned the PCRN party from participating in the National Youth Day celebrations on February 11.

Divisional Officers, who are under Minister Atanga Nji, often base the bans on the need to protect public peace.

But critics have often dismissed these justifications as baseless.

Mimi Mefo Info