“We can bring change”

Written by Eugene N. Nforngwa

Monday, 23 August 2010 15:21

Ben Muna, APF chairman (C) The Standard Tribune

Ben Muna tells Diaspora how Biya regime can be kicked out

YAOUNDE—An opposition united behind a good political programme and backed by the Diaspora can take down the Biya regime, says Ben Muna, the chairman of the Alliance of Progressive Forces (APF).

Addressing a recent convention of Cameroonians in Washington, DC., USA, Muna said so far the opposition has sung “Biya must go” but failed to offer Cameroonians any true policy alternative.

He said the desire for change was huge among Cameroonians and could be fulfilled if the opposition, helped by the Diaspora, succeeds in having a closer eye on voting by sending representatives to every polling centre on Election Day.

“After twenty-five years of the CPDM government and 28 years of the Presidency of Paul Biya, the people of Cameroon want change,” he said on July 10.

“They want a change in the way the country is run. They want to see a country that is run for the interest of all the people not for the interest of a few Barons, tribes or ethnic groups.

“If we are well organised, we can bring such a change to the government of our country.

“But we have to be careful because if we do not have the right policies and the right people, we can change the present government by bringing in an equally corrupt and oppressive government.

“Change for change sake is not what we want. We want a change to a better and honest Government, which will govern our country with universally recognised and accepted moral, spiritual, social and economic principles.”

He added: “The political parties of the opposition and their leaders must first of all agree on a political program and supported by a detailed list of things that have to be reformed, starting with the constitution of Cameroon which is modelled on that of western societies and has no relevance to the specificities of our African societies...

“Then, we have to spell out clearly how we will reform institutions such as the judiciary, the civil service the police and armed forces, etc.
“It is only when such a detailed program has been drawn, agreed upon and presented to the people, then can we choose a leader who will lead the opposition in presenting such a program to the people and lead them to a victory at elections.
“I want to make it clear here that the slogan ‘Biya must go’ is not a political program.
“This is where I believe the Cameroonians in the Diaspora can help to bring change to our country. First of all, many of you are highly qualified and well educated. In your various fields you can help the opposition parties in Cameroon to formulate political programs in different fields and subjects which can be used to draw policies for the future development of our country.”

Muna said he did not believe that change would only come through an armed struggle as some have opined. He said the one major hindrance to a democratic transition was the inability of the opposition to sell itself well to Cameroonians.

“If I am a member of a political party, which for the time being I have been elected to head, it is because, I believe in change of government by democratic and peaceful elections.

“When we start an armed rebellion, we can never know where it will take us to, not to talk of the bloodshed and loss of lives. The APF stands against any armed revolution in Cameroon.

“It is true that the CPDM government have made free and fair elections impossible by a total control of the election machinery and those who run it. That may be true but it equally true that that the political parties in the opposition have not captured the imagination of the ordinary people of Cameroon with a clear and direct message, which can convince them that that they can take over the country and govern it.

“The opposition parties which vie for power must first of all formulate political programs and policies which are relevant to the needs of Cameroon and which can easily be understood and recognised by the man in the streets and villages as presenting a real solution to their social and economic problems.”

He said a united opposition – the search for a single candidate as has been the case in the past – should only come after clear ideas about policy changes have been put on the ground and agreed upon.

“We cannot go back to the tried and failed formulas which have never truly united the opposition or won any elections for the opposition. I am talking about attemptslike ‘Union for change’, ‘Coalition’ and ‘Coordination’, which we have witnessed.

“These were not honest and true attempts at unity. At best they were only half-hearted and feeble attempts by certain party and political leaders to place their own man in power, driven by selfish ambitions, not patriotism.”