Yaounde Orders Elections of New Mayors for Batibo, Mbengwi, Andek - Arrests of Ndop & Balikumbat Mayors Insight

By Shey Wirba

If municipal/legislative elections were not postponed/extended for a year, there would have been an exciting drama today. This, follows the recent scenario in Momo division wherein some four (04) mayors are presently behind bars. The Batibo Mayor Lawrence Ndangoh Tenoh; Mbengwi- Tah George Mbah; Andek- Johnnie Agogho; ex-Andek Mayor Godlove Awanakam and Anahngong Godlove- 1^st deputy mayor of Njikwa have been detained for their alleged role in siphoning council funds. Chronicle gathered that activities in these varied council areas have been unworkable. Accordingly, Yaounde authorities have ordered that within the next 2 weeks (before mid September 2012), something must be done.

Last week, Chronicle learnt that the senior divisional officer for Momo, Isaac Moundourou, had been instructed to be on the qui vivre. Chronicle gathered that following the detentionof Mayors Tenoh of Batibo, Tah George of Mbengwi, Agogho Johnnie of Andek, there has been the need to replace them with other councilors.

Agogho’s case, Chronicle has been told is even quite preoccupying, given that he has not been able to refund the 34 million FCFA he misappropriated after the sale of communal stamps. For Tah George of Mbengwi, Chronicle gathered that his fate had since been forgone.

Elections in View

A source at the Momo SDO’s office hinted Chronicle last weekend that Isaac Moundourou, the SDO has been waiting for instructions from his hierarchy to act. Accordingly, with the detention of his 3 mayors, he is expected to conduct elections soonest so that council activities be continuous.

Chronicle gathered that the first deputy mayors for Batibo, Andek and Mbengwi respectively have been actively in force, yet, according to the law, they can not commit their councils financially.

Should the Momo SDO decide to slate the elections, Chronicle gathered that none of the councils would be embarrassed to choose who succeeds.

In Batibo, the first deputy is Fred Tanjoh. He is an educationalist and not a light weight. He hails from Guzang and is expected to rise even if he has ambitions for the next mandate. Commentators hold that Tanjoh would make a good mayor than Tenoh, given his levelheadedness and clairvoyance towards the handling of issues.

Should the Momo SDO also pulsate to the dictates of Yaounde, then the new mayor for Mbengwi would be elected between the SDF, CPDM and APF councilors. The SDF first deputy, Awandam Richard Tanyi, Chronicle gathered, may not be privy to be catapulted. Many observers/social critics already eye a certain councilor Moukorou to succeed Tah George.

For the Andek-Ngie council area, Chronicle gathered that Mayor Agogho Johnnie may never have the 34 million FCFA to refund. Implicitly, he would be bound to die in jail. Already acting in his place is Irene Gwanyawa, CATTU’s female leader.

An uneasy calm reigns within the Batibo, Andek and Mbengwi councils, following the arrest and detention of their mayors. Yet, as Chronicle is aware, they are not the only culprits. The mayors of Ndop (Dr. Ntoh Daniel) and Balikumbat (Angustine Wasum) have allegedly destroyed all what Fon Doh put forward in Balikumbat sub division (affair a suivre..)