Cameroonians suffered one of their worst days in recent times on Friday, 21st October when a train derailed and over 150 persons are feared dead with more than 600 wounded. After spending more than a month abroad, Biya, on his initial statement to the Cameroonian people, promised to investigate the incident and asked Cameroonians to show courage and will
Today, Biya has kept his words by creating a commission of inquiry headed by the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang. The commission will report to him within 30 days. The commission conspicuously saw Ministers of Transport and Public Works absent in the Committee indicating that they may be the scapegoat of Biya’s anger.
However, while in any democratic dispensation, this move should be applauded because it will bring forth sustainable measures that will prevent such from happening again as well as rendering justice, one cannot fail to recall the lake Nyos, Nsam fire, Mbanga Pongo, Bepanda affair, Ndu massacre of 1991-92, Political upheavals of the 1990s, constitutional amendments protest of 2008 which claims so much lives. What has become of these commissions? What recommendations have been followed through since these incidents? How far have the victims and locality been compensated? A normal country will make these inquiries public for public consumption. That of Cameroun is a taboo.
It is fair to say that most of these commissions in the past ended in the drawers and after some few months, the country will go back to the normal. It ponders us to ask the position of the National Assemble and Senate. Where are they in all these incidents? Is this not supposed to be the place for a Parliamentary inquiry set up by both houses of Parliament headed by MPs, Senators, and Independents to bring out an impartial investigation into what really happened so that justice should be served?
Hundreds of Cameroonians are dead and wounded. 20.000 sachets of blood are currently needed, families are missing, the Cameroonian people deserved better. Can the Parliament rise up and take up its position? Can the people get an impartial investigation into what really happened so that CAMRAIL can be brought to book as well as all Ministers involved?
The political system in the Cameroons and the way the government functions are a very bad one and it is our hope that in 2018, this regime will be flushed out
God is still saying something.