Visionary Reports

A few days to the proclamation of the October 12 Presidential Election results by Constitutional Council amid widespread circulation of fake news on social media about potential riots should the incumbent, Paul Biya, be declared the winner, Public Health Minister Dr. Manaouda Malachie was in Douala on Tuesday October 21 where he held crucial talks with brothers and sisters from the Mayo-Tsanaga Division of the Far North Region of Cameroon, residing in Douala,urging them to dissociate themselves from public disorder and exhibit responsible behavior, irrespective of the election’s outcome.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister began by commending them for their peaceful conduct during the election: “We met, we talked, and I suggested that we observe a certain discipline to vote with calm, as we are known to do in the Far North region. The administrative authorities did not report any incidents involving our community, and I thank you for honoring our people.”

Dr. Manaouda emphasized that his current visit was prompted by the volatile post-electoral context. He highlighted the “tensions,” “speeches,” and “violent messages” circulating in community forums, expressing concern about a “probable rise in these violences” following the proclamation.

“Everywhere, Cameroonians tell you, ‘we know that the people from the Far North are good, calm, and respectful.’ That’s how we are qualified as disciplined people who do not seek problems,” the Minister stated. “I have no doubt that you will continue to honor our region, but it is often good to talk and reassure ourselves.”

Meanwhile,the priority message, for which the Minister made the trip, was a direct warning against participating in any potential unrest: “We must keep serenity, we must keep calm. We must be far from the places where things will go wrong, far from the places where people will start to incite violence.”

He questioned the wisdom of heeding external calls for protest: “Why are we going to pay attention to someone who is outside the country, saying ‘let’s go into the street because they are going to steal our vote’?”

Dr. Manaouda drew a sharp contrast between those who incite violence often from the diaspora or opposition candidates and those who suffer the consequences. He recounted the fate of protestors from the 2018 elections: “Those who told you, ‘go to the street,’ they will not be there. The candidate who brought them is outside. Who loses in these conditions? You are in prison because you violated the law… At that moment you are alone.”

The Minister’s advice was clear and practical:
“As soon as we feel that this day, there are strange groups… let’s stay at home. Let’s close our doors. It is not in our interest to be outside, to run around.” “We must not even be curious.On social networks, we will send the images. Let’s not even be curious.” “Our objective, whether they are imams, pastors and all, our objective is to pray so that there is no noise.The only fact that we are in peace, we are in a stable country, makes others jealous.” The Minister suggested asking employers for a day off, if possible, to avoid being caught in public disturbances, emphasizing, “We have nothing to contest. Because we have done our job, our job is to vote.”

Moreover,during a Q&A session, questions were raised about the development of the Mayo-Tsanaga division. Dr. Manaouda reassured the elites, stating that the division is included among those set to benefit from the “constructive developmental growth” championed by President Paul Biya, assuring them that tangible progress is “just a matter of time.”

The Minister concluded his sensitization by urging the community to “go serenely towards the proclamation of the results,” stressing that they “must not be accomplices of the disorder, of the indecency, or of those who are going to transgress the regulation, the legislation.”

By Henry Wana