Kamto criticizes ban of PCRN public rally by Kribi D.O.

Professor Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, CRM political party, has criticized the decision of the Divisional Officer (D.O.) for Kribi II prohibiting the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN)’s public rally slated for December 15-17, 2023 in Kribi.

According to him, this act is another serious attack on public freedoms and is unacceptable.

“I was able to read through the full decision of the divisional officer of Kribi II dated November 23rd, 2023, prohibiting the PCRN public rally slated for December 15-17, 2023 in Kribi, to renew its Steering Committee and the national President position, according to the D.O, “internal squabbles within this political party is likely to seriously disturb public order”. I can’t still believe this is happening. It is yet another serious attack on public freedoms and unacceptable interference in the internal operations of a legalized political party,” Kamto said.

“We do not miss to recall serious internal problems which periodically shake the ruling party, without there ever being a ban on its public rallies. The D.O. could have requested the presence of law enforcement forces at the venue of the said meeting to intervene if necessary instead of anticipating serious disturbances to public order on a speculative basis,” Kamto added.

“There are nearly 400 political parties in Cameroon, but only one and its allies can carry out their activities normally. At a time when the state is trumpeting the approval of 40 new political parties, how can it illustrate at the same time to this extent the folkloric character of the Cameroonian multiparty system and the caricature of democracy in our country? The D.O. still has time to change his decision and let the PCRN hold its meeting for which he had already issued the acknowledgement of receipt of the declaration,” he further stated.

The founding father of the opposition party, Robert Kona had earlier gone to court, seeking to reclaim the party from its current National President, Cabral Libii.