Disturbing reports from Buea on Thursday, February 12, indicate that several pupils, students and youths have fallen sick and been rushed to the Buea Regional Hospital following participation in the National Youth Day parade, which authorities ordered to continue despite a violent downpour and flooding across the town.
Yesterday’s activities marking the 60th anniversary of Cameroon’s National Youth Day were plunged into chaos when an unexpected and heavy rainfall hit Buea, causing run-off water, debris and flooded streets across the ceremonial ground and surrounding areas. The storm was so intense that many residents described the wet conditions as hazardous long before the parade began.
Despite the severe weather conditions, the Governor of the South-West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilaï, reportedly ordered that the march past proceed without interruption. Dozens of primary school pupils, high school students and youth groups were compelled to march under the relentless downpour, their uniforms soaked, shoes waterlogged, and morale visibly low.
Within hours after the event, medical personnel at Buea Regional Hospital began
receiving a growing number of young patients complaining of chills, fever, persistent coughing, headaches and acute weakness. Some health workers privately expressed concern that the combination of heavy cold rain and prolonged exposure may have triggered respiratory distress or other complications — conditions that can be especially dangerous in children.
“Nobody expected such heavy rain,” a senior health official told our correspondent on condition of anonymity. “By the time it hit, many of the children were soaked through. We are seeing respiratory symptoms, possible cases of influenza, and dehydration—all of which are exacerbated by continuous exposure to cold and polluted floodwater.”
Residents React With Shock and Outrage
News of the administration’s refusal to halt the parade generated fierce reactions from citizens and activists across Buea:
Regina Gwamesia, a prominent social critic and journalist, described the decision as “deeply concerning and inexplicable,” questioning why the march past was not suspended at the onset of the heavy rainfall.
Ekurumba Edward, a concerned Buea resident, condemned the decision, saying, “We just have cruel fellows who will sacrifice kids and anyone for a spectacle… I doubt if any of them had a kid there, they would have allowed them to march in that rain.”
Sonita Ngowo, a human rights advocate, called the march decision “disheartening and cruel,” asking rhetorically whether those who made the call would have allowed their own children to endure the weather.
These reactions reflect broader frustration among Buea’s denizens over what many see as a disregard for the welfare and safety of young people in the push to carry out ceremonial programming.
Concerns Over Weather and Health Hazards
Meteorological and public health experts warn that heavy rains in the South-West
Region are more than a mere nuisance; they pose real health risks. With the rainy season bringing rapidly changing weather, poor drainage, and contaminated floodwaters, children and vulnerable populations are especially at risk of waterborne diseases, respiratory infections, and other complications.
Local climatological reports indicate that Buea and the surrounding parts of the South-West region regularly experience intense rainfall accompanied by violent winds and run-off waters that can carry debris and pollutants — conditions that are not suitable for prolonged outdoor events involving children.
Administration Under Fire
Civil society actors have criticised the South-West regional administration for failing to prioritise public health and safety. “To insist that children march for ceremonial optics — even as rain pounds the town—shows a callous disregard for their well-being,” said one local community leader. Others noted that had the governor’s office experienced the same exposure, the decision might have been very different.
At the time of publication, the governor’s office had yet to issue a formal statement addressing the mounting health reports or the decision to continue the march past amid such hazardous conditions.
By Lucas Muma
