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Former Chancellor of the University of Yaounde, Minister of Higher Education and General Secretary of the presidency Professor Joseph Owona will today take oath of office at the Constitutional council, in honour of his yet latest presidential appointments.
He was appointed by presidential decree on April 15, 2020 to replace the late Jean Fouman as the eleventh member of the constitutional council.
As the youngest legislative arm of the government to be created in the Cameroon’s judiciary, it is the highest court of the land and its decisions cannot be appealed.
According to section 48 of the constitutions, the constitutional council watches over the regularity of the presidential and parliamentary elections as well as referendum operations. The constitional council also proclaims the results of these various elections.
However, keeping in mind the powers that the constitutional council have over the outcomes of elections in Cameroon including the presidential elections, the Head of State president Paul Biya holds the power of appointing the members of the presidential council, a judicial arm of government which is claimed to be autonomous still has its members singlehandedly appointed by the president whom they are supposed to be impartial from.
We equally remember how jubilantly the present president of the Constitutional Council Clement Atangana jubilated in his house upon his appointment into office by the Head of States. That logically proves that at some point, he too will have to show his appreciation to the Head of States for his appointment.
Need we too remember that the President of Constitutional council received a huge sum courtesy of the president for his house to be redone some few weeks after the announcing of the controversial presidential election results, followed by the post electoral hearings at the constitutional council which many Cameroonians are of the opinion that it was a mere show, given that nothing concrete changed despite the long hearings and numerous evidences brought forth for election malpractices.
However, as Professor Joseph Owona is sworn in today, Cameroonians are reminded of the stiff manipulation of the country’s constitution in order to keep one man ruling. The hope is for the Constitutional council to be fully autonomous, and so should the rest of the judicial system in Cameroon.
Mimi Mefo Info
