BaretaNews has obtained a presidential order signed by the newly installed Speaker of the Cameroon National Assembly, Théodore Datouo, appointing several Chargés de Mission to his cabinet, with one appointment already drawing accusations of nepotism.
According to the appointment decree dated June 30, 2026, one of the beneficiaries is Marlène Audrey Datouo Leussi, identified in the document as an Administrateur d’Assemblée. She has been appointed as a Chargée de Mission in the Office of the President of the National Assembly, a position that places her within her father’s immediate administrative cabinet.
The appointment comes barely a day after Datouo assumed the presidency of the Yaoundé-based National Assembly, following changes within the leadership of the institution. Critics have wasted no time in questioning the decision, arguing that the appointment reinforces long-standing allegations of family patronage and elite privilege within the Cameroon government.
Images of the signed decree, now circulating widely on social media, have fueled heated debate among Cameroonians. Many commentators argue that the move reflects a political culture in which influential public offices are allegedly distributed among relatives and political allies rather than through transparent, merit-based processes.
Supporters of the new Speaker, however, may contend that the decree does not, by itself, establish that the appointment violated any law or administrative procedure. The document indicates that Datouo Leussi already held the rank of Assembly Administrator before her appointment to the new role.
The development has nevertheless reignited public criticism of governance in La République du Cameroun, where successive administrations have repeatedly faced accusations of nepotism, patronage, and the concentration of state opportunities within politically connected families.
As of publication, the Presidency of the National Assembly has not publicly responded to the growing controversy surrounding the appointment.
