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President Paul Biya, who is the national Chairman of the Cpdm, announced the congress in Yaounde on Friday, August 26, 2011. He also created the various organizing commissions and appointed its members. The Secretary General of the Cpdm Central Committee, Minister Rene Sadi in a recent press release said the party’s third ordinary congress was to take place before the 2011 presidential election. “The Congress shall define the general programme and political, economic, social and cultural orientations of the party”, Article 18 of the Cpdm basic text states, “The Congress shall elect; the National Chairman of the Party, members of the Central Committee on the basis of the list system, and the alternate members of the Central Committee”, Article 19 further states.
One key provision of the by-laws of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, Cpdm, requires that the party holds a congress prior to a major political event like the Presidential election that Cameroonians are waiting for in the months ahead. Section 18 (1) of the by-laws present the congress as the organ that defines the political, economic, social, and cultural guidelines of the Cpdm.The Cpdm ordinary congress comes at a critical moment in the life of Cameroon considering the 2011 presidential election. “The National Chairman of the Cpdm shall be the party’s candidate for presidential elections”, paragraph three of Article 27 specifies.
Members and supporters of the Cpdm both in Cameroon and in the Diaspora have through motions of support and encouragement, been calling on President Paul Biya to stand as their natural candidate for the presidential election. Their calls referring to Mr Biya as the natural candidate are based on the argument that as the Cpdm Chairman is automatically the party’s presidential candidate.
The outcome of the election during the September 15 and 16 Cpdm ordinary congress will serve as an occasion for the party supporters to decide whether Paul Biya, the founder of the party will still continue at the helm of the party.
Should Mr Biya accept to stand for the post of party chairman, then he will indirectly be responding positively to the calls for him to stand as the people’s presidential candidate.
As the Communication Secretary of the party, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo analysed the holding of an ordinary congress before the next presidential election, is important. Notably that the party is conscious of the crucial nature of the upcoming presidential election and would want to put its house in order before the event. This also indicates that as the ruling party, Cpdm officials are aware that what affects them directly also concerns the wellbeing of the nation. Thus, announcing the congress serves as a call for mobilisation at all levels, even within other political parties as the nation gets ready for presidential elections.
Also, the decision appointed some key figures of the party in charge of the organisation. Among the principal members of the organizing committee of the Congress in September, are Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, President of the National Assembly, Philemon Yang, prime minister, Laurent Esso, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Marafa Hamidou Yaya, Minister of state, minister of Territorial Administration and decentralisation, Amadou Ali, vice Prime Minister and minister of Justice, Martin Belinga Eboutou, director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency.
Jude Viban
