The Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul, has
condemned violence demonstrated by a Municipal Police that led to the death of a biker and a passenger on April 17, 2024 in Yaounde. Minister Atanga Nji Paul, summoned stakeholders for a crisis meeting, the day after the incident, calling on responsibility and protection of the life of citizens on the path of Municipal staff as they discharge function. The Minister gave a firm rule that would henceforth regulate the activities of Municipalities Authorities. The rule goes that: activities of Municipal police should be properly coordinated by the Mayor who must have obtained clearance from the S.DO. in consultation with the Governor.
“I want to make it very clear. The Senior Divisional Officer is the Supervisory authority in the Division. Any activity or control by the Municipal Police must have clearance from the Senior Divisional Officer. The Municipal Police should not exercise violence of any form on road users. The mayors must put in place proper mechanisms to control the activities of the Municipal Police in order to avoid abuse of power, extortion of funds from traders and motor bikes riders. I urge the motor bike riders and municipal police to be law abiding so that we can collectively protect people and their property which remains the cardinal point of the work of administrative authorities” Minister Atanga Nji gave the firm instruction during the meeting with stakeholders.
Present at the meeting were the Governor of the Center Region -Naseri Paul Bea, the SDO of Mfoundi -Emmanuel Mariel Djikdent, the Mayor of Yaounde City -Luc Messi Atangana, Mayors from the 7 Municipalities of Yaounde and trade unionists from Bike Riders Syndicate. The Minister has instructed the signing of a tripartite partnership agreement between Municipal authorities, Administrative Authorities and Bike Riders Trade Unionists on the respect of law and order and none violence in the exercise of duties. The MINAT Boss once again emphasized on the identification and registration of all bikes by authorities and vendors. He also stressed on the respect of none bike zones.
For a while now, the situation in the field between Municipal Police and bike riders have always been a tough one with bikers fighting to make ends meet as they transport passengers meanwhile Municipal Police in struggling to make sure that bike riders respect rules sometimes exercise their duty with brutality. Fedjeu Bertin Matthew, a commercial motorcyclist who attended the crisis meeting noted that, state authorities need to ease the circulation of bike riders. He raised worries that the Head of State earlier issued a decree to regulate activities of Municipal Police two years ago but this is not followed adding that Municipal Police lack respect for people. They sometimes beat up motorcyclists and care less about the hurdles faced by bikers in obtaining documents needed in the profession. Fedjeu thinks that the state should facilitate the obtention of documents for these bike riders that would enable them to be regular with the law. Following the two deaths recorded during traffic control by a Municipal Police, Municipal officials are faced with the task of examining their actions. Yannick Ayissi is the Mayor of Yaounde II who thinks that each party must play their role to minimize problems. “After this meeting we would have consultation meetings with our collaborator about the organization and functioning of Municipal Police in the field. It is important for them to be trained about their mission especially for the trade unionists because in the field, we have the bike rider and the Municipal Police. So it is important for each side to do their work well because if the bikers respect the circulation and authorisation rules, there would be no incident in the field”
At the end of the crisis meeting, Minister Atanga, emphasized that stakeholders should do well to ensure serenity in Yaounde, the proper orientation of Municipal Police viz a viz bike riders and the recruitment of bike riders of good moral rectititude.
By Mildred Ndum Wung