Modifications to the Constitution of the Republic of Cameroon in 2008
On 10 April 2008, the National Assembly overwhelmingly passed a bill to amend Law 96/06 to change the Constitution to provide the president with immunity from prosecution for acts as president and to allow the chief executive to run for unlimited re-elections, along with a number of other changes. The vote took place after the opposition
Social Democratic Front (SDF) representatives walked out of the assembly, and just one month after the
2008 Cameroonian anti-government protests, widespread violence that resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of arrests of demonstrators protesting price rises and the proposed constitutional changes.
[8][9]
There was limited public discussion of the changes leading up to the vote, with declarations by SDF leader
John Fru Ndireportedly prohibited in the national press and television by
Alain Belibi Director of Information at the CRTV.
[1![0]](/styles/default/xenforo/NTemojis/alien.gif "Alien 0]")
A song titled "50 years in power" by popular Cameroon singer
Longuè Longuè was also reportedly banned by the Director of Programmes at the CRTV,
Celestin Boten, and one journalist who had played the song,
Billy Karson, was suspended and banned from air.
[1 Another artist
Lapiro De Mbanga, who had composed a song titled "
Constitution constipée" ("Constipated Constitution") was arrested, and painter
Joe La Conscience (
Joe De Vinci Kameni), who had attempted to walk from
Loum to
Yaoundéto give a petition of 100 signatures to Cameroon President
Paul Biya against the constitutional changes, was sentenced to six months in prison.
[11] He and a colleague were arrested after initiating a hunger strike for having held a prohibited meeting, the meeting reportedly consisted of two individuals in his private residence at
Tsinga.
[12]
The proposed changes were published in the national newspaper, the
Cameroon Tribune, on 7 April 2008, however the changes listed did not include proposed changes to Article 53 paragraphs 3 and 5, the paragraphs according immunity to the president.
[13]
Five members of parliament voted against the bill. Opposition lawmakers
[14] and at least one member of the ruling
Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM),
Paul Abine Ayah, member for
Akwaya, criticised the bill as a setback for democracy and the country in general.
[15] Following the vote it was revealed that Ayah, who had indicated he would vote against the bill, was absent during the vote, and despite having established no
procuration, a supportive ballot was cast in his name by fellow CPDM MP
Monjowa Lifaka Emilia, member for
Fako West.
[16] The Presidential Delegate Minister to the National Assembly,
Gregoire Owona, reportedly indicated on the Cameroon state-owned national radio station,
CRTV, that he had seen a procuration signed by Paul Abine Ayah, however Ayah insisted that he had not signed a procuartion for the period of the constitutional law vote but only for the period 28 March 2008 to 31 March 2008.
[17] On 17 April 2008 the daily newspaper
Quotidien Mutations published what was purported to be a procuration signed by Abine Ayah for the period of the vote[[Media:
[1]]]
[18] However, Abine Ayah continued to deny having signed a procuration and insisted the published document was a fake.
[18]
