Akere Muna who was endorsed by a group of 20 political parties, civil society associations and independent personalities led by Prof. Propere Nkou Mvondo of the UNIVERS party, has swung into action, addressing Cameroonians on the eight pillars around which his leadership will revolve.
The candidate who outlined his vision in impeccable French, English, Pidgin English and Fufulde on Tuesday expressed his conviction that a non-renewable transition period is essential for the process of rebuilding Cameroon’s institutions.
He pledged to lead with integrity, compassion and unwavering dedication. “As president, I pledge to lead with integrity, compassion and unwavering dedication to the well being of all Cameroonians”, he said.
Akere Muna promised to widen the coalition to include more political parties and independent persons.
“The days and weeks to come, we will endeavour to meet and discuss with other political leaders and independent personalities,” he said. Akere Muna , known as Cameroon’s Mt Clean, also promised to use the experience garnered in years of fighting corruption to the benefit of Cameroonians.
More than 25 years ago, I realized that at the rate which corruption and impunity were progressing, no significant development will be possible. I devoted most of my time and resources to raising awareness of this scourge that was gradually devouring our society. I have been involved in major anti-corruption initiatives at the global level, regional, sub-regional and national levels. Today, I want to put this experience of more than a quarter of a century at the service of my own country.”
He expressed regret that more than 90 percent of our institutions are being singled out for their level of corruption and promised reverse the trend.
“Foreign courts and international institutions have exposed cases of corruption involving senior government officials and we remain indifferent in the face of this serious situation,” he said.
Service
Akere Muna pledged to give a new orientation about service, ensuring that we serve the interests of the state and not our personal interests as is the case today.
“We must reverse the monarchial pyramid that our country has become where a large base serves a very small minority at the top. The people must be at the centre of everything we fight for. The exaggerated shadow of our failed attempts at a perfect union is beginning to obscure the essence of the quest for a new republic that is for the people and about the people. It has bred division, fostered incompetence and robbed our people of a better life and hope. The level of depravity in which our country finds itself has plunged us into a state of lethargy. The republic is under threat. Our society is under threat. Even our churches are under threat. The existential question facing us all is: Who are we serving? Our personal interests or those of our country.”
My 8 pillars:
Our conviction, our profound conviction is that a non-renewable transition period is essential for the process of rebuilding our institutions and in fact our nation. The vision we are proposing is anchored on a Cameroon built on new foundations which will lead us to the new republic we seek. This vision is set on 8 pillars and on emblematic measures that I will have the opportunity to re-present to you in more detail in the coming weeks.
1. Strengthening democracy and governance: adopt a new constitution that incarnates the present and the future aspirations of the people of Cameroon; promote free and fair elections, strengthen transparency and accountability within government, establish a truly decentralized form of government within a federation where the leaders are chosen by the people, establish an appropriate legal framework for the declaration of assets to ensure an effective fight against illicit enrichment. Support civil society and media freedom.
2. Economic development and job creation: invest in infrastructure and technology, rethink our strategy as regards railways, air transport and road networks; promote agricultural innovation and food safety.
3.Make Cameroonians living abroad a key element in our country’s development process. Formal channels should be explored and opened up to give Cameroonians living abroad their rightful place in our economic architecture. This must inevitably begin with the recognition of dual nationality.
4. Education and skills development. Reform the education system so that it meets the needs of the 21st century to better matching the same to the needs of the modern market. In particular, the working conditions of teachers at all levels must be improved. Increased access to vocational training; promote STEM education (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics); protect the dualistic nature of our colonial heritage in order to preserve diversity and enable Cameroonians to make their own choices.
5. Health Reform: increase funding for health services, ensure that each division has modern technical facilities, the ultimate aim being to stop the financial drain caused by medical evacuations. It is also imperative to improve the working conditions of doctors, nurses and other staff in the health sector. Make Universal Health Coverage accessible to all.
6.Social justice and human rights. Guarantee the rights of all citizens regardless of gender, ethnicity or origin, promote policies to protect vulnerable populations; strengthen laws against discrimination and violence.
7. Security and peace building. Tackle the root causes of conflict and insecurity,promote dialogue and peacebuilding efforts in regions affected by conflict. Defence, security and law enforcement forces remain the guarantors of our territorial integrity and national public safety. We must make them more professional and ensure that fairness, excellence and integrity are the bases of all promotions.
8. Sports culture and tourism. These three areas are the glue that binds our people together. Nobody can ignore the unifying force that football represents in our country. In football as in other sports, players and athletes must be at the centre of all reflection. We need to improve our national training facilities to avoid losing our young talent to unscrupulous headhunters. An appropriate framework for the protection of artists, musicians, and other performing arts professionals must be put in place.
