1. .The March session of Parliament is convened for March 10, 2016.
2. It will traditionally begin constituting new executives of the assembly bureau
3. Reports suggest in view of major constitutional changes within the country institutions, Cavayé Yéguié Djibril, who has been speaker of the house for more than 20 years, could lose the position to a much younger and dynamic Member of Parliament, while 82-year-old Senate President, Marcel Niat Njifenji, who has reportedly not been in a good state of health lately, may be dropped altogether.
4. Biya who is not currently in the Country has already endorsed the tabling of a bill that will amend the constitution of Cameroon. sources also hinted that there will come a sweeping cabinet reshuffle once the session ends and the constitution is amended.
Some of the changes hinted by the Cameroun Journal presidential source include:
a. To amend article 6 (3) of the constitution to give the President powers to call early presidential polls. This, our informant said will take place before the women’s Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, holding in Cameroon, beginning November 19, this year.
b. The reduction of mandates from the current seven years unlimited terms, to five years with the precision, “renewable once.”
c. The introduction of a single ballot for all the candidates in presidential elections, the widely-clamoured two-round voting system practiced in most democracies around the world and the re-introduction of the post of Vice President.
d. Consideration of stepping voting age from 20 to 18.
However, there are growing speculations that the decision by the Biya regime to call early presidential polls have been prompted by fears that a new French president, expected to emerge after the April 2017 presidential election may prove hostile to another term for the Cameroon leader who by 2017 would have clocked 35 long years in power.
Let us see how March 10th session unfolds.
God is still saying something
#NoToBiya2018.
Sr. Cameroon Journal.
