Why the Opposition Silence on Maurice Kamto’s Maltreatment?

By Njong Shey

More than 24 hours since Maurice Kamto, President of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, was placed under a house arrest in Douala, other major opposition figures in the country are yet to show any public concern.

Opposition politicians like Akere Muna, Joshua Osih, Cabral Libii and Serge Espoir Matomba, who are all vying for Presidency, have remained silent.

As of noon on Monday, none of them had issued any public comment concerning the government’s recent action against Kamto, which observers say threaten civil and political rights not only for him and his party militants, but for every other citizen.

Their indifference to the issue fades hopes of what Cameroonians think is a much-needed opposition coalition for the upcoming October Presidential elections.

On Saturday, June 7, Maurice Kamto’s residence in Douala was surrounded by security forces who stopped him from going out to meet with thousands of his supporters on Sunday.

The Douala headquarters of the CRM party was also surrounded and party supporters were prevented from regrouping in the area, despite no legal justification.

Kamto said he had duly notified authorities about the planned meeting with supporters, as required by Cameroonian law.

After being blocked from leaving his residence, Kamto says the Littoral Governor, Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, sent envoys to ask him to immediately leave Douala.

He defied the order, terming it unconstitutional.

Beginning of Elections Tension

Cameroon is just a few months away from a presidential election that has seen more than 25 people declaring their intentions to run against 92-year-old President Paul Biya. He has not been defeated in an election since taking power in 1982, although the opposition have always claimed he rigged previous elections.

Politicians have been drumming that the only way to unseat Paul Biya is through a coalition of all the opposition candidates.

However, the opposition has remained very fragmented.

Leaders like Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front had said a coalition can only happen after an election.

However, his critics say the ideology does not befit the Cameroonian context and should only apply in a parliamentary system where a party needs a certain majority in Parliament to form a government.

On the other hand, Akere Muna believes in change and transition. He, in the last presidential election, formed a coalition with Kamto.

This year, all he wants is to be elected for a five-year transitional period where he can put in strong institutions and then leave power.

For Cabral Libii, though he is silent on the subject of coalition, some of his supporters are making a mockery of Kamto’s house arrest.

Barrister Tamfu Richard, who is an influential member of Libii’s party, also Criticised Maurice Kamto, and wished for his arrest.

Kamto Plans to Meet Supporters

At the time of this report, Maurice Kamto had not been released from his confinement.

On Sunday, he told his supporters they were going to meet on Monday, after the government frustrated their meeting.

Images from Douala showed his supporters on the street, amid a heavy security presence.