From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS: CAMEROON: OPPOSITION UNITING ON ONE
Date: 12 Sep 92 14:22:45 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Originator: barnhart@gagme

Title: CAMEROON: OPPOSITION UNITING ON ONE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE


yaounde, sept 5 (ips/tansa musa) -- opposition parties are
beginning to rally behind a strategy to field one presidential
candidate in the west african nation's first multi party
elections since 1964.

the strategy is aimed at foiling the latest election gimmick
by president paul biya who announced last week the holding of
early presidential elections.

the cameroon people's union (upc) announced thursday it had
agreed to join four other major opposition parties in an
alliance to field a single nominee to stand against president
paul biya, in the oct. 11 poll.

''we think that a party exists to satisfy the people's
wishes. the cameroonian people want change. that is why the upc
has decided to join the other opposition parties to present one
candidate for the early presidential election'', said upc leader
ndeh ntumazah.

the upc becomes the fifth major opposition party to agree to
the strategy initiated last week by the union for democratic
forces in cameroon (ufdc), the social democratic front (sdf),
the cameroon democratic union and the peoples democratic
movement (mdp).

in announcing upc's position, ntumazah, who returned here
last year after 30-years in exile, laid to rest rumours that
his party had been negotiating a pact with the ruling cameroon
peoples democratic movement (cpdm).

''the problem we are facing now is the problem of all
cameroonians. all political parties and cameroonians must put
aside their personal ambitions and unite to fight against
the common enemy standing in the way of change.''

since giving in to mounting pressure for multi party
democracy early last year, biya has manipulated the
electoral process in a desperate effort to maintain his 10-year
grip on power.

less than a year after the introduction of multipartyism,
biya had called for early parliamentary elections in march
ignoring cries of foul from the opposition which had barely had
time to organise itself.

''you want power, lets go to the polls. the polls will and
must speak. then we will know who is who in this country'', biya
had said. (more/ips)


cameroon: opposition (2)

in protest, 46 of the country's 70 registered opposition
parties had called on their followers to boycott the elections
but the government had cracked down on them, arresting several
opposition leaders.

but despite the elections being conducted under a
controversial electoral code, cpdm strongholds being given more
parliamentary seats, partisan electoral administration, massive
bribery and rigging, the ruling party had only managed to win 88
out of the 180 seats in parliament.

according to the opposition, parliament has been unable work
effectively because it is governed by the 1983 electoral law
which was drawn for a one party system. biya intends to conduct
the forthcoming elections on the basis of the same law.

ufdc leader hameni victorin bieleu, told ips that genuine
change could only be achieved when the institutions presently in
place have been removed.

the opposition alliance has therefore agreed to a plan to put
in a place a transitional government which would work over a two
year period towards the establishment of truly democratic
institutions.

ntumazah said his party will work with the other parties
to draw up an electoral code and set up a constituent assembly,
dissolve the present national assembly, draft a new constitution
that will be presented to the people in a referendum, and work
out an electoral time table.

the only other major opposition party still to clarify its
position is the natinal union for democracy and progress (undp)
of bello bouba maigari. if undp does side with the opposition,
then biya's death knell may well have been sounded.
(end/ips/tm/tvh/oa/92)




-- 
Mr. Aaron Barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us -- posting from Evanston, Illinois
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african