Senate, Nat Assembly presidents condemn Egbekaw massacre
The Presidents of the lower and upper houses of Parliament spoke on Friday, November 10, 2023, as they opened the last parliamentary session for 2023, which is meant to decide on the 2024 state budget.
Senator Marcel Niat Njifenji of the Upper House said the killing of 25 civilians on November 6, 2023, in Mamfe town, South West region, must be condemned in strong words. He also said Cameroonians must not remain indifferent to the victims of the Mbankolo landslide that killed over 30.
On his part, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril of the Lower House condemned the Egbekaw massacre that was attributed to armed separatists. The long-time Speaker of the House frowned at the Executives in Cameroon, warning that everyone must know his place and limits- On no occasion the Executive should want to dictate to the legislative, he stated. This comes after tension between his Director of Cabinet and some English-speaking MPs from the North West region, who requested the firing of the Dircab. However, Hon. Cavaye thinks that the situation has pushed some persons to be involved in the affairs of the National Assembly.
As usual, some MPs of the opposition complained that the government breached the law by not putting at their disposal, copies of the finance law before the start of the session.
“The law provides that MPs should have a copy of the budget at their disposal but as you can see, they did not provide. We will not fold our arms and watch the government do as it wants, no! We shall prepare ourselves to oblige the government to respect the law and to respect MPs. If till now we have not yet had the budget, what will we do given that we have just 24 hours to examine the finance law? It’s unacceptable! ” Hon. Benilde Djeumeni, SDF Member of parliament for Moungo South constituency in the Littoral fired.
The session will within the next weeks, see government Ministers undergo question and answer sessions to defend their proposals.
The session opened a day after the death of Honourable Marguerite Abomo Fama, MP for Upper Sanaga, was announced. She is the second female MP of the CPDM to die in just some months. And just two days after the death of Senator Anja from Manyu Division.
