Commentary: October 12 poll; The sky is falling already!.

I have also just read a press release by the Human Rights Section of the Cameroon Bar Association, complaining bitterly about the arrest of some political leaders, recalling that it was because of similar arrests, instead of dialogue, that degenerated into the conflict that has been on in the North West and South West Regions for the past eight years and still lingering.

The people I pity most in the melee of restrictions are commercial bike riders. They are used by politicians to draw crowds to their rallies and paid peanut change in the process.

But in tough times of uncertainties, instead of using them to go round and discourage troublemakers, so as to support the sky from not crushing on us all with collateral damages, they are being avoided like COVID-19 pandemic patients.

From Limbe to Douala to Garoua, they are being told when to start work and when to end. 

In the North Region, there is a ban for two days from today on sales of smuggled petrol from Nigeria, which is widely used in the Region.

Even peaceful protests, which are a democratic right, are being proscribed. It's very easy to use the wrong word and find yourself shackled with an offence of "inciting rebellion".

Let me bring some of President Biya's quotes, which were on the social media arena during the electoral process: "Democracy is also acceptance and respect for the ideas of others"; "No one will be harassed for their ideas, opinions, or beliefs as long as they respect the laws and the rights of others".       

But who determines "law and order," when the institutions that implement them do not do it with equity? Do those institutions instill trust in the people, exhibit neutrality and are free from corruption? 

Will people, anybody, not protest if his or her rights are trampled upon? What are voters supposed to do when they find no justice after casting their votes?

Remain in a lonely corner of their room without electricity, shrouded in darkness and crying with muffling screams, and never speaking their true feelings in peaceful demonstrations, which are an important part of democracy?

If peaceful demonstrations, even for victory celebrations are prevented, then the sky is already falling; not a free fall, but one supported, as the slogan of the banned SCNC reads, "the argument of force, not the force of argument". 

When there is justice, people will jump to the streets to celebrate. Anybody who tries to stop that celebration will create room for suspicion. 

The Indomitable Lions, for instance, cannot win a crucial match and Cameroonians are prevented from streaming to the streets to jubilate.

Where there is cheating, we have all observed it at the local levels where crowds at the spur of the moment, not brainwashed, break barriers, get into the field and brutalise corrupt match officials.

The verdict of the Constitutional Council could be likened to that of a referee in a match, but its verdict should, given the calibre of the members, be seen to reflect the choice of the people.

I agree with President Paul Biya that: "In a democracy, access to power is ensured through the ballot box, not through the streets".

But is it not true that when the ballot is mutilated, mixed, and cooked, the streets become the inevitable rule as has been experienced in some African countries?

I look up to the Constitutional Council to support the sky from falling beyond where it is, so that the expressed will of the people shall uplift  it to its honoured position for the sun to brighten the darkness that has is hovering over Cameroon.

Postscript: “Poverty is the worst form of violence” - Mahatma Gandhi

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3607 of Monday October 26, 2025