Which Political Leader Is Best For Cameroon?

It is high time Cameroonians stopped wondering which political leader is best suited to handle the current challenges and trials the country is facing. Citizens should look no further.

Waineng Wanmbui

Every well informed Cameroonian is aware that this year is an election year. Well informed would also mean being able to decipher the differences that exist between straight genuine opinions and points of views filled with malicious intent. It means being able to listen to political leaders, ambassadors, religious and traditional leaders, and decoding their declarations keenly and not judging them from their face value.

A lot of things have been said and done to destabilize Cameroon. In fact, a lot is still being said and done to rock the peace in the nation. Political leaders (it might be too early to detect their relationships with personalities who are working against the interest of Cameroon) are hoping to use the stumbling blocks put on the country’s road to development by unscrupulous individuals, as campaign materials.

A few of them like Prof Maurice Kamto, Barrister Akere Muna and Cabral Libi who have declared their intentions to run for President have stated on different occasions that age is not a determining factor of leadership. In most cases they say this when cornered to criticize the sitting Head of State. They all claim what matters is the leaders’ socioeconomic program that can better the lives of the people.

But it would be crystal clear for every well informed citizen that it is unlikely for their smartness to pay off, for what can these political novices offer that is not already in the pipeline. They all have but words; whereas President Biya has actions on the ground that speak for themselves, plus words, carefully written down in a plan, dubbed the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper (GESP).

Drawn up since 2009, the document has been endorsed by all development partners and has the possibility to transform Cameroon into an emergent country by 2035. Most programs introduce in the country by development partners and donors such as the EU, the French, German, Korean and Japanese development agencies as well as specialized United Nations Development agencies are tailored to fall in line with the GESP. The document equally takes into consideration, various aspects of the UN Sustainable Development Goals that can guarantee poverty alleviation, gender equality, decent jobs, peace and social justice and more broadly, improve the standards of living of citizens of all walks of life.

Who then is better place to champion the flagship program, if not President Paul Biya under whose guidance the GESP is being meticulously implemented? It is plain to see. One only needs to refer to the document to realize that no other political leader has the potential to lead the country at this particular point in time.