Obala, May 23, 2025 — What was meant to be a significant moment of democratic celebration has turned into yet another episode of abuse of power. The public meeting scheduled for this Friday in Obala, marking the 35th anniversary of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), was arbitrarily banned by the sub-prefect and the town’s mayor. The event was to be presided over by the party’s national president, Honorable Joshua Osih.
In a statement released today, the Regional Secretary of the SDF for the Centre region, Tangeh George Werengong, expressed outrage at this decision, which he calls a blatant refusal by the authorities to respect fundamental freedoms.
SDF Chairman John Fru Ndi passed away last night in Yaoundé after battling against illness. The 1st Vice-President of the SDF, Josua Osih, made the terrible announcement this morning in the following official statement:
An investor pool led among others by the NSIF and the SNH expressed in November 2022 its interest in acquiring the shares of the British Actis fund in Energy of Cameroon (ENEO). If the operation is concluded successfully, then this will consecrate the renationalization of electricity distribution in Cameroon. From a prudent point , this sounds like a relief for consumers who are wondering what the added value of the privatization of the defunct SONEL would have been. But in essence, this rather raises a lot of questions with regard to the political and economic realities of the country. Are the change in the ownership structure and / or nationalization the solution to the problems of energy production and distribution in Cameroon? Is the state a good partner and a good customer?
The United Nations, through the UNESCO agency, has decided to place the celebration of the 30th anniversary of "World Press Freedom Day" on May 3, 2023 under the theme, and I quote: "Shaping a future of rights: freedom of expression as the engine of all other human rights". The analysis of this theme shows us that, firstly, freedom of expression is the basis, better still, "the mother" of all human rights, and secondly, that all human rights are constantly violated all over the world every third, second or minute that passes.
