Cameroon’s government and its supporters are holding events this week ahead of celebrations Sunday marking President Paul Biya’s 40 years in power Meanwhile, opposition parties are holding rallies calling for the 89-year-old Biya, the world’s oldest head of state, to change what they say are unfair election laws On Thursday in Nanga Eboko on the outskirts of the capital city of Yaoundé, supporters of Biya sang that Cameroon has remained one, undivided and prosperous despite the numerous challenges the central African state has faced since Biya became president in 1982 The singing and dancing was part of week-long activities marking the 40th anniversary of Biya’s rule
Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, or CPDM, said it dispatched party officials to towns and villages to organize conferences and mobilize more support for the 89-year-old leader who, it said, has achieved a lot for the country Elvis Ngolle Ngolle is one of Biya’s close collaborators in the ruling party He says freedom is top among the things Biya should be credited for and that “every citizen can express themselves in any way they want.”
He says that under Biya’s rule, Cameroon has enhanced women’s rights and vastly improved its education system “In 1982, we had one state university,” Ngolle Ngolle said
“Today we have more than 11 state universities and hundreds of private university institutes Incredible in 40 years.”
Ngolle Ngolle says Biya has stayed in power this long because a majority of Cameroonians love and always vote for him However, opposition political parties accuse Biya of rigging elections for decades, and wanting to stay in power until he dies The Cameroon Renaissance Movement, led by Maurice Kamto, says Kamto won the October 2018 presidential election and that the victory was stolen from him
Another party, the Social Democratic Front, has joined the CRM in asking civilians not to attend anniversary celebrations to protest Biya’s long stay in power Source: The Anchor
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Source: Theanchor
