Colonial Election Promises: Ulcer or Relief for Ambazonians?
By Andre Momo
For decades, elections in French Cameroun have been nothing more than a political ritual, with two presidents dominating the landscape since the country’s independence in 1960. To many Ambazonians, these election promises have only served to deepen the wounds inflicted by years of neglect, misrule, and unfulfilled promises that stretch back over sixty years.
Once again, the aging dictator Paul Biya and his inner circle are attempting to deceive the masses with their empty promises. However, this time, no Ambazonian is likely to fall for their cheap propaganda. More and more people are becoming increasingly aware of the repeated, hollow claims, such as the long-promised Bamenda ring road project. For over three decades, this project has appeared in campaign speeches, yet the road remains in deplorable condition, causing untold suffering for thousands. The poor state of this road continues to claim lives, as travelers are forced to navigate a treacherous path with no sign of improvement.
Another promise that has been recycled time and again is the generation of electricity from the Menchum Falls, a project that, if realized, could provide power not only to Ambazonia but to much of West Africa. Despite being mentioned repeatedly in election campaigns, the project remains unfulfilled, with over 60% of households in Ambazonia still living without electricity more than six decades after joining French Cameroun. What was once perceived by Ambazonian forefathers as a “gentleman’s agreement” has turned into a brutal reality of systemic neglect and exploitation.
The regime of French Cameroun is not just guilty of failing to deliver on its promises; it is also deeply complicit in the continued subjugation of the Ambazonian people. The empty rhetoric of electoral campaigns only serves to rub salt in the wounds of those who have long suffered under colonial occupation.
For many Ambazonians, the time for empty promises has long passed. The road to liberation is clearer than ever before, and it is now widely believed that the mental and physical torture of living under such a brutal regime must end. Rather than being swayed by the deceptive tactics of the colonial government, Ambazonians are urged to focus on the liberation of their homeland. The energy spent on entertaining political promises should be redirected toward the ongoing struggle for independence.
The time for compromising with the colonial regime is over. All those who continue to sell out the people in exchange for political favors should be publicly shamed and cast out. Ambazonians must unite and devote their efforts entirely to the cause of freedom, for only through liberation can the suffering of the people finally end.
