Cameroon is about to mark the 40th anniversary of Paul Biya’s accession to the presidency. This coming Friday, November 4, it will be 40 years since his predecessor, President Ahmadou Ahidjo, announced his resignation in 1982, entrusting power to his Prime Minister, Paul Biya, who according to the Constitution of the time was to be his successor. Paul Biya then took the oath on November 6, 1982. Many Cameroonians have not known any other president than him.
With our special correspondent in Yaoundé, Amelie Tulet
Dressed in a “Paul Biya” loincloth ensemble with large blue and green flowers on a light background with the portrait of the Head of State inset, Thérèse-Rachel describes herself as a convinced activist of the ruling party, the CPDM. She attributes to the Cameroonian president all the achievements of recent years in her locality of Baham.
I support my president because he works, he does well. He has already created the technical high school, the bilingual high school, the town hall, he has created many things. He developed Baham.
Baham, capital of the mountainous and very green Hauts-Plateaux department in the Western region, where another CPDM activist, Dorothy, from Woum in the neighboring English-speaking region took refuge three years ago. of the North West. Her husband was killed, her house burnt down.
If the war could end anyone could be in power, I wouldn’t mind that, all I want is peace now so I can go home.
240 kilometers south of Baham, Douala, economic capital of Cameroon. In the Bali district, it’s the end of the day, everyone gets some fresh air or goes home. For Fabrice, on the economic and social level, the results of the Biya presidency are not satisfactory.
He has not been able to get this country off the ground as it should, young people who have diplomas cannot access jobs. Cameroon has no industry, although there is space and resources. On the ethical level, morality has left its camp, corruption, it is there, it is palpable, we deal with it, in all contexts.
Like Fabrice, Diane has never known any other president than Paul Biya. Without particular animosity towards the Head of State, she aspires to change.
For thirty years since I was born, it’s the same person who’s been there. In the end, it’s his idea, it doesn’t change, there’s not too much innovation in the country. He’s my grandfather, my great-grandfather even! I wish he was going to rest, someone else was there.
President Paul Biya told him last July that we would have to wait until the end of his mandate in 2025 to find out if he remains in power or if he goes “to the village”.
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