Cameroon: A Look Into the Political Power of a Country

Along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the middle of the Gulf of Guinea, lies the African country of Cameroon. The country’s 475,440 sq. km. are surrounded by a multitude of other countries, including, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Nigeria, (1). While many people consider Italy to be the most famous country shaped like a boot, others will argue that Cameroon resembles the same type of footwear, (22). Within the “boot” there are a multitude of topographical features. In the North, there are six major national parks, along with multiple beaches, deserts, lakes, and some volcanic mountains. In the Southern part, there is a vast array of rainforests, (2, 3).  Essentially, everything that one could expect to find on the African continent can be found in Cameroon.

The Capital of the country is Yaoundé, which is populated with about 1,430,000 Cameroonians. While this is one of the major cities in the country is it second in comparison to Douala which has the larger area of the two, but only has a population of 1,200,000. This city is larger and more important to Cameroon’s economy due to it large sea port, (5).

As far as the people of Cameroon are concerned, they are as diverse as their country’s topography. There are over 15.4 million citizens of Cameroon, however, they have divided themselves into at least 130 different ethnic groups. They speak French, English or both, and tend to rely heavily on religious influences.

There are three main religions in Cameroon, Muslim, Christian, and Indigenous. Because it was once a united colony of Britain and France, much of Cameroon’s history remains, hence, the presence of the Christian religion. While the South consists of mainly Catholics and Protestants, the North is littered with Muslim sects. The North and the

South have waged a somewhat silent war for years. This “war” is highly evident in Cameroon’s government, (1). The Northern part of Cameroon is much poorer than the South. While the North is less ethnically and religiously diverse than the South, it is still somewhat divided. The South, however, is more divided based on colonial heritage and language. The two heritage and language sects are the Anglophones and Francophones. The Anglophones are primarily stationed in the North West and South West, and they make up about 21% of the population. For many years, the Anglophone population has been quite unhappy, which happens to be understandable. In 1961, French Cameroon became a free nation. A British mandated area, which had formerly been part of Nigeria, split itself into two separate regions. The Northern part went to Nigeria, while the Southern part was given to Cameroon. This territory added to the Anglophone population. Immediately upon unification, the Anglophone province saw a dramatic decline in wealth and an even larger decline in their say in governmental matters. Along with independence, Cameroon received their first president: Ahmadou Ahidjo. Because Anglophones were unhappy with their livelihood, they believed that Ahidjo was corrupt and trying to ignore a part of his nation. Although an uprising would have made sense, the region was so divided based on religion and ethnicity, that it was hard to start a united front. Along with the Anglophones in the North, the Francophones in the South are also divided for similar reasons. The main reason for the issues in the South is due to the ethnic group The Bamileke, who will be discussed at length, later on, (32-34). Cameroon is considered one of the better sub-Saharan African countries, not only for its expansive topography and resources, but because it is one of the more educated countries on the African continent. With a 63.4% literacy rate, this places Cameroon higher than most of its surrounding countries (1). In addition, the government will subsidize education through the university level, if qualified, (27).

Due to the various topographical features that Cameroon offers, there are an abundant amount of natural resources that are exported on a daily basis. Included among these resources are timber, petroleum, bauxite, iron, cacao, coffee, tobacco, cotton, bananas and rubber, (1). Cameroon’s main export is petroleum, like many other African nations. However, although the oil is abundantly extracted, there has been much controversy over the Bakassi peninsula between Cameroon and Nigeria. Despite this setback, Cameroon is able to make a decent amount on their exportation, mainly due to the fact that they have so many resources to utilize, (18).

Even though Cameroon may house numerous natural resources, the workers who attempt to get these goods, face a daunting hurdle: the roads. Although there are 475,400 sq. km. to the country, only 34,000 km is developed, meaning they are considered “roadways.” However, only 4,000 of the 34,000 are paved, which means that roughly 87% of Cameroon is unpaved, (5). Despite that major setback, there is a large highway that connects Yaoundé and Douala, which was opened in 1985. Research shows that in

2001, there were 71,700 passengers and 68,000 commercial vehicles in use, (5). These are very small numbers when considering the population and size of Cameroon. Along with car transportation, there are also many railways that are in use. To be exact, there are 1,008 km of railways that are used daily in Cameroon. Once again the main rail line links Yaoundé and Douala, and also Douala to Nkongsamba. Most of the railways benefit the agricultural side of Cameroon, (5).

Along with cars and railroads, Cameroon has several operating marine ports, due to the fact that a portion of the country lies on a gulf. The main port is located in Douala which the busiest and most important. It mainly exports wood. There are other large exports but their operation is usually seasonal and therefore not as widely used, (5).

Finally, there are several airports that are used in Cameroon. Once again, the main airport is located in Douala, which flies internationally. As of 2001, there were a total of 49 airports in Cameroon, however only 11 of them had paved runways. Cameroon Airlines began their flights in November of 1971 and they travel to Paris, London, Frankfurt, Brussels and multiple African countries. The airlines are co-owned by the government and Air France, (5).

Despite the various transportation methods in Cameroon, the communication access is fairly limited. Telecommunications use has been on the rise since the turn of the century, but as of now there are only about 95,000 main telephone lines in use throughout the entire country. However, relatively recently, licenses have been granted to multiple cellular telephone companies and internet providers. Even though the usage of these services is small, the interest is increasing rapidly. In fact, the two main cell phone companies, one controlled by the French and the other controlled by Africa, are desperately competing for Cameroonian clientele, (7). In the late 1980’s there was a boom in the media. The Cameroonian television and radio networks merged and formed the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Camerounaise. Broadcasting stations are centered around the country in the major cities, including Yaoundé and Douala. These stations offer their programs in French, English and various Africans languages. Continually, in the late 1990’s, there were 11 AM and eight FM radio stations and only one television station. Also, the newspapers are not issued regularly, have a very small circulation and are mainly written in French, which is only spoken by a portion of the country. The Cameroon Tribune is the daily newspaper that is delivered to the majority of the country. While this is a reliable news source, it is run by the government, and therefore carries the threat of censorship, although Cameroon’s constitution claims to allow freedom of the press, (18).

As far as Cameroon’s economy is concerned, it is surprising how low it compares to the other sub-Saharan African counties. Because it is only 54% free, that places Cameroon 23rd out of the 40 countries in the sub-Sahara. Therefore, it is lower than the regional average, however, it is quite stable. The GDP is 37.5 billion and there is small tax revenue, when compared to the GDP percentage. The rising oil prices have also benefited Cameroon’s GDP, but it is the government intervention that hinders the economy from excelling. For example, the agricultural exports are responsible for over 40% of the nations GDP, but because the Cameroonian government insists upon intervening, which includes state ownership of the majority of the industry, creating cumbersome production regulations, and prohibiting foreign investments, the economy’s growth is relatively nonexistent. Therefore, although Cameroon has multiple natural resources that contribute to the GDP, there are many inconsistencies within the economy, (8).

The reason for many of these inconsistencies is due to specific challenges that other African countries face while they are still in the developmental process. For instance, Cameroon’s bureaucracy and legal system are far from reliable, while the infrastructure of the country is inadequate. Continually, because the roads are so poor, the cost of employment regulations are expensive and the steps to firing workers are long and arduous. This most likely explains the mere 2% unemployment rate in all of Cameroon, (8).

The main currency in Cameroon is the CFA franc, which stands for the Central African Franc. It was created on December 26, 1945 following the end of WWII. The French created this type of currency when their own, the franc, was depreciated during the war. The French franc was devalued in order to create a fixed exchange rate with the United States. Likewise, while they were devaluing their own currency, the French decided to form a new currency for their former African colonies, in order to ensure that the devaluation of the French franc did not impact the countries too harshly. Therefore they created the CFA franc, (23).

Cameroon is not the only country that uses the CFA franc, 12 other countries, which used to belong to France, also depend upon this type of currency. Some people feel

that the CFA franc is too high and tends to favor the elite among these African countries. Also, goods can be manufactured at a relatively low price, which hurts the farmers who cannot afford to export their agricultural products. Fortunately for Cameroon, the CFA franc has not been impacted too harshly by the Euro. However, there has been some conflict due to the vast differences between the Cameroonian economy and the economy of the European Union. Because the economic growth rate is so diverse, many have called for a devaluation of the CFA franc. For now though, it will stay where it is, meaning 100 CFA francs is equal to 0.152449 Euro, (23).

In the late 80’s a study was done by the United Nations development Program (UNDP), which took a close look at the poverty level in Cameroon. While Cameroon appears favorable when compared to other sub-Saharan African countries, there is still a significant amount of poverty throughout the country. The UNDP found that the number of Cameroonian citizens living in poverty rose from 40% to 50% in 1999 alone. This increase was due to the decline in per capita income, which took a hit when fell from (US) $1,000 to (US) $600 in a mere decade. The decline had been happening from 1980 to 1990. In order to deal with the rapidly shrinking per capita, Cameroon’s government reduced producer prices as well as government expenditures. As a result, farmers found that if they were to sell their agricultural goods to state-run companies, their income would fall dramatically. Along with the blow to farmers, the government reduced the income of civil service workers by 50%. While the government was busy making cuts, the CFA franc’s value fell, which led to high inflation in 1994. It was at this point that Cameroon saw one of its worst economic plights in decades.

Like many other developing countries that are in the same economic situation as Cameroon, studies have show that the majority of poverty-stricken people live in rural areas. In 1999, researchers found that out of all the people living in the two major Cameroonian cities, Yaoundé and Douala, 20 to 30 percent were at the poverty level. However, when looking at the rural areas in Cameroon, these same researchers found that nearly 60% of these people were living in poverty. Likewise, 80% of these impoverished homes had access to electricity. In comparison, only 20% of urban homes in the major cities lacked electricity. These rural homes are also unlikely to have interior plumbing, adequate water, heath care, and these children usually do not further their education beyond primary school. In the large cities, however, the situations are more diverse. Income levels vary greatly between the citizens of these major metropolises. There are high numbers of civil service workers in Yaoundé and Douala, and despite the fact that their yearly income has been reduced dramatically, they still make more than the average Cameroon citizen. Along with civil workers, many other Cameroonians work as street vendors and shopkeepers in order to make a living. These services are referred to as “informal sector activities.” Overall, in the large cities, famine is rare, in comparison to other African countries, due to the fact that food is easily accessible and relatively cheap. Also, the typical home of city civilian is made of clay, brick or cement and often resembles an adobe. These homes are almost always equipped with electricity. Finally, as far as the wealthy are concerned, they too live in the large cities, but their homes and overall lifestyle resemble that of a person living in a developed country, (27).

While Cameroon’s government does provide health care and education, the majority of citizens living in rural areas cannot afford it, due to the fees that are required. If citizens are able to pay the fees, the government will subsidize education through the university level, (27).

From talking about governmental decisions and institutions, it is important to take a look at the Cameroonian government. Paul Biya has been president of Cameroon since November of 1982. His predecessor was Ahmadou Ahidjo, who left the presidency relatively quickly and with no prior notification. However, Biya was one of his right-hand men in the government and it was no surprise that he was picked to succeed Ahidjo. Although the first year of his presidency ran smoothly, Cameroonian citizens began to see a change in their new leader by 1983. The main change they noticed was the feeling of increased power and oppression that was being felt throughout the country. Almost immediately, Biya fired the Prime Minister, who was his second in command and left over from Ahidjo’s reign, along with many other high ranking officials. The position was filled by Ephraïm Inoni. After this cleansing process, Ahidjo was accused of an attempted coup de ta against Biya’s new government. Due to this accusation, Ahidjo fled to France where he went into hiding. After several years of being in exile, he came out and accused Biya of corruption and said that he was forcibly removed from office. Based on these statements, Ahidjo is then sentenced to death, but is pardoned by and Biya. However, Ahidjo loyalists form an uprising and the scene in Cameroon is that of anarchy. Nearly 1,000 people were murdered in the streets of Yaoundé in only three days. This was merely the beginning of Paul Biya’s campaign, (28).

Today, Cameroon’s government is a republic, meaning it represents a form of democracy through specific head officials. Essentially, society elects officials to represent them and these officials vote on legislation, not the citizens themselves. The government calls themselves the Cameroon’s Peoples Democratic Movement, which is mainly a fancy way of saying they are a group of ultra-conservative dictators, (12).

Although Cameroon has a stable economy and a better GDP than most sub-Saharan African countries, various human rights societies have been keeping a careful eye on Paul Biya. There has been past speculation that he has murdered and tortured some of his fellow countrymen for political reasons. Whether or not these accusations are true, it is apparent that Cameroon’s government is somewhat corrupt, due to the fact that

Biya has been in power for 26 years, and it is most likely not because of his popularity, but because he has placed fear in the minds of his citizens, (12).

For years, Biya would not allow opposing political parties and by 1988 he was “re-elected,” although there were no other candidates running against him. This continued until 1990, when an opposing political party, illegally, began an uprising against the government. In May of 1990, Ni John Fru Ndi led a peaceful protest where over 30, 000 Cameroonians rallied to change the government. The name of the group was

the Social Democratic Front, which is still in existence today. The group was formed after six unarmed civilians were shot to death by the state police for unknown reasons. Following this incident, Ndi ran for president against Biya. To this day, it believed that Ndi won the presidency, but was held at gunpoint by Biya’s officials and ceded the presidency, (13).

Overall, SDF thrives on the hope of someday restoring human rights and democracy to Cameroon. Although the group was initially organized under illegal pretence, the Social Democratic Front is now a nationally recognized organization throughout the country, (13).

Another opposition group in Cameroon is located in the Southern Francophone region. The Bamileke, who were mentioned previously, come from the western highlands that originally bordered what was formerly British Cameroon. This group is said to have a large influence on the economy, which sticks out to the Cameroonian government. In order to lower the risk of this group, President Biya has given political offices to some members of the Beti group, the ethnic group to which Biya belongs. This group stems from the South Western region of Cameroon. As a result of this action, Biya has single-handedly divided the Western part of his country even more through ethnic and religious means. Neither the Anglophones nor the Francophones are represented properly or equally in Cameroon’s government, (33-34).

 Although Cameroon’s government is somewhat corrupt, there are not very many problems with other countries, in comparison, of course. In 1995, Cameroon was

admitted to the British Commonwealth and officially became a member. Also, although Cameroon was once a colony of the French, ties with France remain strong to this day. This is quite beneficial to Cameroon considering the fact that France is a major world power, part of the European Union and allies with many other world powers, thus reducing the probability of Cameroon having international disputes. However, while Cameroon is safe internationally, they do have a problem with one of their neighboring countries. The main problem lies between Cameroon and the country to the west, Nigeria. The disagreement comes from the Bakassi Peninsula, which is rich with oil, and wanted by both countries. Since oil is one of the main exports for both of these countries, it is obvious why there is so much at stake over the control of this piece of land, (18-20).

The arguments and disputes have been going on since the early 90’s and eventually, in 1994, the problem was brought to the attention to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Although it was addressed, the conflict was not solved until 2002, in which the ICJ ruled in favor of Cameroon. The agreement stated that Nigeria must begin pulling their troops out of Cameroon within two years of the ruling. Before the ruling, both countries vowed to abide by ICJ, whatever the outcome. After Cameroon won control of the peninsula, Nigeria came out with the following statement, “The judgment will resolve many outstanding matters between the two states and provide a way forward for both in areas which have caused difficulties in the past.” This message signified a step forward towards peace between these two countries. However, since the end of fighting, Cameroon has captured more than 120 Nigerian prisoners of war, since 1996. Clearly, the Nigeria did not stand by their word, (18-21).

To make matters worse, Nigeria and Cameroon are also fighting over the large oil reserves off the coast in the Gulf of Guinea. Not only are these two countries affected, Equatorial Guinea has been drawn into conflict as well. Therefore, they have asked the ICJ to protect their boundaries while Cameroon and Nigeria resolve their conflicts. These two countries have vowed to solve their problems peacefully, but violent dialogue that stems from deep national pride, has threatened to make this conflict bloodier than need be.

Fighting to protect Cameroon’s borders are the various branches of armed service. Their military is very similar to that of the United States. There is an Amy, Navy, which includes naval infantry, and Air Force. Joining the Cameroon military is not an obligation and is voluntarily based. However, there have been times when the Cameroonian government has requested volunteers. This does not necessarily mean that there has been a draft, where all men who are eligible are obligated to join. Men and women who are 18 years old or older are allowed to sign up and can serve for as long as desired. There are approximately 26,000 to 27,000 men and women serving in Cameroon’s military. The armed forces usually require about $155 million dollars of expenditures and takes up about 1.3% of Cameroon’s GDP, (16).

The goal of Cameroon’s military is one of peace. These soldiers are trained to exercise good military-to-military relationships, most likely to ensure as little bloodshed as possible. Also, Cameroon’s military focuses largely on promoting civilian programs that help strengthen society. This is quite beneficial, due to the fear that the government brings to Cameroon’s civilians. Through these programs, the not only is the military stronger, but society’s support for their troops is increased, (31).

While Cameroon’s military camaraderie is strong, it has gained some outside help from world powers, such as the United States. For example, in 1999, four students of Cameroon traveled to various U.S. military academies to learn the ways of our own military. They worked with professionals from all branches of the armed service and learned many tactics along with procedures to secure civilian control. Most likely, as a result from this visit, many of the previously mentioned civilian programs came about, (31).

While the military does seem to be pro-Biya, they are not completely united based on their feelings towards him. In the past many military officers have spoken out against Biya about torture, military killings and corruption. Because of these issues, Biya has worked hard to ensure that the military remains on his side. In 1992, Biya doubled the defense budget. This was most likely done for political reasons, however, Biya claims it was to deter further boundary disputes between Cameroon and Nigeria. While there is an issue between these two countries, Cameroon seeks much aid from the French, who provide “technical assistance” throughout this conflict, (46, 50).

Based on what I have discussed throughout this paper, I will now provide my political analysis of the country of Cameroon, and explain various ideas that I have acquired through my research in order to improve the country.

In general, I believe that Paul Biya and his elected officials control the political power in Cameroon. After thoroughly looking at the governmental structure of the country, it is plain to see that the citizens do not have very much say in the matter. Being an American citizen and growing up with democracy, it is easier to point out injustice in corrupt governments. To me it seems that while there is corruption in Cameroon’s government, it is not as wide spread or noticeable as it is in Uganda or Sudan. However, there is a great lack of justice when compared to first world countries such as the United States, England or France.

This lack of injustice is nothing new, of course. The root of the problem lies in how Cameroon’s government was established and the fact that the country is so divided religiously and ethnically. Because the country did not gain freedom from the French until the 1960’s, Cameroon’s citizens have not had time to adjust to this potential power. The first president of the country, Ahmadou Ahidjo, was a selfish man who took power away from people and gave it to his friends. That was how Cameroon’s government began; it was based on a popularity contest.

Likewise, Paul Biya acted as the savior figure and the one person who could protect Cameroon from all the injustice it was being put through, and he turned out to be even more corrupt than Ahidjo. Through his initial overthrow of the government, when he essentially forced Ahidjo out, to his continual antagonism upon his countrymen, Biya has not done many positive things for his country. Although Cameroon’s economy is more stable and overall livelihood its citizens is better than most in the sub-Sahara, it is mainly thanks to the natural resources within the country that help keep it afloat, not the government. In addition, it is Biya’s scare tactics that have hindered an uprising in the country. He bullies his officials, the military, opposition groups and even his own countrymen in order to get his way. It is not because Paul Biya is such a wonderful leader that he has been the president of Cameroon since 1982, it is due to the fact that he imposes fear among his people which keeps them suppressed and unlikely to revolt.

Along with Cameroon being plagued with corrupt leaders, the ethnic and religious divides make it difficult for everyone to be represented equally. In addition to this problem, all of Cameroon’s leaders, so far, have been heavily involved in their religion and ethnic backgrounds, that it has affected their decision making. Most citizens of Cameroon are very deeply rooted within their background and region of the country, that they uphold that loyalty to their families and heritage, rather than allowing for equality. As a result, those who gain power, tend to favor those who are cut from the same cloth. Therefore, it is no surprise that Cameroon has an unjust government.

While it is true that Cameroon’s government causes many problems for its citizens, poverty has not doomed the country like many of the other sub-Saharan African countries. The people may not be treated as equally as they deserve, but civil war is not devouring the citizens and Cameroon’s economy is more stable in comparison. As I previously stated, the economy is relatively stable due to the vast resources Cameroon has at their fingertips. By understanding the value and necessity of these resources, the government has created a decent living situation for the majority of its citizens, which is likely the reason for the small number of revolts. Along with these natural resources, Cameroon attracts a fair number of tourists each year, which also helps bring in wealth. It is one of the more favorable African nations to visit.

Despite these positive aspects of Cameroon, there are many things that need to change within the country in order for its development to be successful. First of all, major changes need to come to the government in order to make Cameroon a burgeoning country. I believe once they get Paul Biya out of power, they should set a limit to the number of years a president can serve. This would ensure that if there was corruption within the government, it would not continue for decades, such as the current situation. Also, having a limited presidency could ensure that many of the religious and ethnic groups have equal representation.

In order to resolve some of these tensions between the citizens, I believe the government should create ways to build positive relations between the Muslims and the Christians, as well as the various ethnic groups. If some of these tensions were relieved, the threat of civil war would not be as high. Also, if Cameroon were to become more united as a nation, corruption within the government would be much harder to get away with than it is now. After all, Cameroonians would not feel such loyalty to their individual groups and would be more willing to demand equality and justice from their representatives.

As for government spending is concerned, there are many things that could be done to ensure that Cameroon continues to grow. First of all, they should begin giving proper training to the military. Although the country gets a lot of aid from the French, they have begun pulling their troops out, so it is time for the Cameroonian armed forces to take responsibility. Proper military training is certainly important considering the potential for conflict inside and outside of Cameroon’s borders.

Although it gained access and ownership to the Bakassi Peninsula, Cameroon should have their eye out for potential revolts from Nigeria. After all, there are loads of wealth contained in that space, and it would make sense for an economically desperate country to do whatever they can to secure that wealth. Along with the Nigerian threat, Cameroon should secure a powerful military in the case of a civil war. Although this threat is not large, it would not do any harm if the government would allow more for military spending.

I also believe that a large majority of government spending should go towards the establishment of better roads throughout the country. While it is beneficial that there are major roads and highways going to and from the two major cities, Yaoundé and Douala, there should be better roads in order to harvest the natural resources at a faster rate. For instance, agricultural resources account for over 40% of Cameroon’s GDP and it would be much more efficient for farmers to harvest and transport their goods if they had access to better roads. In addition, many of the people living in poverty could obtain jobs if they were able to travel to and from the major cities. However, beyond the cities, the roads are merely dirt, and sometimes even non-existent, therefore making it nearly impossible for these rural citizens to leave their villages and surrounding country sides. Not only would better roads benefit the impoverished, it would help Cameroon’s economy in general.

After all, with better roads, the country’s natural resources could be produced at a faster rate, which would then equate to more wealth.

Although the building of these roadways is expensive and time-consuming, I believe in that in the long run, the country would benefit from this major change. The government could hire rural workers which would in turn benefit the impoverished as well and provide a larger economy for Cameroon in the future.

Finally, I believe that the government should allow for freedom of the press. Although Cameroon’s constitution promises freedom of speech, Paul Biya and his cohorts, have made sure that the knowledge that reaches the public is sparse and not very informative. They do not want their people informed about such subjects as democracy, liberalism and capitalism.

Unfortunately, it will take bold action on the part of various brave individuals to create an uprising and change the way the pubic receives and perceives their media. In comparison, there are very few opposition groups within Cameroon, despite the governmental corruption, due to the fact that its citizens are filled with fear, and would rather live with injustice than lose their lives. These individuals that do decide to overthrow the government or write about democracy will risk everything they have, like many other Cameroonians, to expose Paul Biya and his corrupt ways, but I believe it is something that needs to be done if Cameroon has any chance to become a democratic nation.

 In closing I would like to make a confession: For a good portion of my life, I have passed consistent judgment on the African continent. Whenever I have seen movies or pictures of Africa, these people were always depicted as impoverished and needy. Therefore, I have always figured that this is the life of every citizen of Africa. After researching Cameroon and writing this paper, I realize that my judgment was wrong. Not everyone in Cameroon is dirt poor and without hope. The country is beautiful and has so much to offer its citizens. They have realized their country’s potential through natural resources and have taken full advantage of them. Unfortunately, they have a poor, but not horrible, government that has hindered some of their success. However, because this poor government has been in power since the 1960’s, much of the younger generation is asking for a change. I firmly believe that if there is an uprising from either the Social Democratic Front or The Bamileke, it will be years in the making, but overall successful. Cameroon has the power to change and eventually thrive; they just need a strong, yet fair, leader, to reach this positive future.