What started as speculation was finally materialized on April 10, 2008 when the National Assembly voted the bill to amend certain provisions of the 1996 constitution, extending the Presidential mandate among other innovations.

Against a backdrop of some dissenting voices, the Head of State, H.E Paul Biya announced the revision of the 1996 constitution with the intention to modify among others, the clause on the presidential mandate.

It was indeed a bold step, taken at a time the country was still recovering from the shocks of the February nation-wide social unrest, orchestrated mostly by unhappy youths. President Paul Biya had earlier brought speculations to an end when during a special programme on France 24 TV with Ulysse Gosset, he announced his intention to revise the constitution.
Expectedly, many were not in support of this idea and did not hide their feelings. The opposition vowed to frustrate the move and the press carried the issue in debates and opinions. The effervescence over a constitutional revision, to say the least did not leave anyone in Cameroon indifferent. There was uncertainty as to the outcome of this effervescence but the Head of State knew how to play his cards, and played them well to make people understand the importance of the constitutional revision.
To face the crisis ignited by the proposal to revise the constitution and abate tension, suspicion and unrest, the government embarked on explanation with the diplomatic community in Yaounde. For one thing, the diplomatic corps was presented as the surest element to frustrate the decision of the government. At last! The USA, Britain, France, Germany and other influential representations in Cameroon were made to understand the need to revise the constitution.
On another front, the Head of State and National President of the CPDM party, instructed the Secretary-General of the Central Committee, H.E Rene Sadi to organise an information and sensitization seminar with the grassroots officials of the party, who will in turn disseminate the information to the grassroots militants. On February 9, that seminar held at the party’s headquarters with CPDM, WCPDM and YCPDM sections’ presidents during which men of law and tactful politicians drilled the party officials on the constitutional revision. At the end of the seminar, the participants left satisfied and strongly resolved to support President Paul Biya’s project of revising the constitution.
But prophets of doom and skeptics were still at work to make the Head of State change his mind or better still exert pressure on him to give up the initiative.  Reasons why  a  strike action called by transporters in February to protest hiking fuel prices was misinterpreted and misdirected as an uprising against the constitutional revision. For about a week, the whole nation was almost paralysed and youths, as the Head of State later pointed out in his post-crisis statement, were manipulated by unscrupulous politicians for selfish aims. But that came to pass.
 In another strong move to whip up support for the presidential project, the CPDM elite of the Mfoundi Division mobilized militants at the Yaounde City Hall esplanade on March 6 to shame enemies of a constitutional revision and drum up support for President Paul Biya.
 All eyes and ears were now focused on the March 2008 session of the National Assembly. And it happened on 4 April when during a plenary sitting, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, President of the National Assembly announced that the house has received a government bill on the revision of the constitution.
Arguments and counter-arguments ensued between the CPDM Members of Parliament and those of the opposition, especially the SDF. Once more, it came to pass and the bill was finally voted on April 10, 2008. A comfortable CPDM majority of 157 MPs voted for against five opposing votes. The 1972 constitution that had been revised in January 1996 was thus revised.
The innovations were that the constitution now made it possible for the President of the Republic to be re-eligible without any limitation on the number of mandates. It also harmonized the mandate of members of the Constitutional Council with that of other elective or appointed organs. The mandate of members of the Constitutional Council was also modified from six to nine years eventually renewable. It also clarified the Electoral College for members in case this organ is put in place. For the Senate, the Electoral College will be the municipal councilors.

Cyprian Tem