Threats are a daily reality since the process was announced.
There has been growing tension, anger and the desire to revenge, as the ongoing renewal exercise of the CPDM Basic organs commences in Meme Division. Anger from the 2015 reorganisation, and the last parliamentary, municipal and regional elections has resurfaced, with the spirit of revenge lingering around. Militants have also raised worries on the cummulation of functions as most of the section presidents are either Mayors or parliamentarians. They are insisting that these persons drop either of the positions to give opportunities to others, as prescribed by the national president of the party.
Most youths have gone for new birth certificates, just to meet up with the age limit set by the party. Tribal meetings, phone calls, social media campaigns and internal lobbying have become the order of the day.
Some of the presidents of section committees are bent on frustrating those who in any way stood on their way. They are bent on thwarting the party’s rules just to see that their revenge desire is achieved.
Attempts to disqualify aspirants has been centered on residence issues, given that some militants or aspirants took refuge out of Kumba at the heart crisis. The President of the Meme Divisional Campaign Committee, Justice Benjamin Mutanga Itoe, signed a communique replacing some members of the body as well as co-opting others in violation of the secretary general’s note. This move interpreted by many as attempt to position his people of interest, was squashed by the regional president, Peter Mafany Musonge, who annulled the decision.
In Meme IA section, there is tensed battle between three candidates for the position of section president. The incumbent Section President, who doubles as member of parliament, Hon Lawson Tabot Bakia, the Kumba City mayor, Gregory Mewanu and Prince Ekale Mukete, pioneer section president of the then Meme I, and later Meme IA.
In Meme IB, the incumbent Section President, Jacob Kay Mbachu who doubles as mayor of Kumba II Council, will be locking horns with his first deputy, Nasirou Ibrahim, who is bent on ousting his boss. Meanwhile in Meme IC, the incumbent Section President, Mayor Isaac Mukwelle Nguba, would be challenged by party feather weights, whose legibility to run for the elections remain questionable. For Meme II section, the president who is equally a mayor will have it difficult to deal with his onetime deputy, Bau Akama Ndedi. Meme II section remain the only area, where no opposing candidate to challenge Senator Andrew Otte Mofa has emerged.
Jude EFUTERCHA
