THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN A STALEMATE

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN A STALEMATE

BY AYAH Paul ABINE

It has often been said that Camerounese conduct themselves as if they
are strangers on their own land. And verily, persons in authority in
the fatherland are prone to haphazard conduct of official business. No
presiding judge am I any more to draw clear-cut conclusions, nay pass
sharp judgments. But I would be doing my country a disservice by
precluding myself from disinterested appreciation.

It is indisputable that Section 15(4) of the Constitution provides for
the extension of the mandate of parliament in the event of "serious
crisis". It is a matter of interpretation whether in the face of the
phraseology "expiry of the extension or abridgement period" it is
constitutional to have multiple extensions or abridgements, given that
the term "period" is in the singular.

Whichever interpretation may be exclusively accurate, efficiency
requires that the government ought to have examined the situation with
zeal and prudence, and then go for a single extension in order to
minimize human and material costs. Preferring the contrary can only be
consistent with the ruling party's selfish monopoly of the political
agenda with consequential fraud on the people.

Again, the President of the Republic by a decree extended by twelve
months the mandate of municipal councils elected with parliament on
the same day. Rational conduct would have required that there be twin
election similarly on the expiry of the two mandates. Rational in the
sense that twin election would cut down cost comprehensively. Why
would any reasonable person extend one mandate by "six months
renewable" in respect of the one case, and another by twelve months
concerning the other?

Another burning issue is the interpretation of the legal phrase "six
months renewable". One daresay that a good many a jurist would agree
that the interpretation of the phrase must be within the ambit of the
maxim "nossitur a soci". In other words, the entire phrase must be
taken together. That should mean that it is the period of six months
which is renewable to the exclusion of any other period. Tabling a
Bill for a period of three months as the government has done,
therefore, is offensive to the law.

Taking advantage of all the legal jumble, parliamentarians are now
demanding "vehicle maintenance allowance" on the ground that they are
in a new mandate. Going by what is cooking, they will either make the
enactment of the finance law conditional on the government granting
their demand, or they will reject the Bill on the extension of their
mandate. That will of course rubbish all that ELECAM is telling
Camerounese today about the next elections.

--
Communications & Public Relations,
People's Action Party, PAP
National Working Secretariat,
Buea, South West Region,
Cameroon.

Motto: Work - Peace - Justice

Tel: (00237) 78 35 80 29 / 94 99 87 43

*E-mail: papcameroon@yahoo.com, presidentayah@gmail.com
*Official Website:  www.paprc2011.com OR www.ayahpaul.net

*Facebook Page: *www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001912645245

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"I profoundly believe all Cameroonians will some day speak the same
language, sing the same songs, dance to the same rhythm, dine and wine at
the same table. When the rich shall cater for the poor and the strong shall
help the weak, the law shall be supreme, justice and peace shall forever
reign, if we are honest and believe we can get there. God bless
Cameroon."Hon. AYAH Paul ABINE, Cameroon 2011 Presidential Candidate and PAP National Secretary General.
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