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Cameroon: Drivers Detained for Instigating Strike Action
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The Post (Buea)
9 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Olive Ejang Tebug Ngoh
Two Kumba based taxi drivers, Tobias Fonven and Epie Eka Njume, who are vying to become the president of the Kumba Township Taxi Drivers Association, KUTTADRA, were detained on May 2, for instigating a strike action.
The two were detained for three hours at the Gendarmerie Brigade Kumba Station on the instructions of Meme Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, Magloire Abath Zangbwala.
Fonven and Epie had reportedly expressed anger over the SDO's postponement of their elections. The election that has suffered two postponements was scheduled on April 6, before Zangbwala postponed it again to June 4.
On his part, the administrator had argued that the postponement was as a result of the Labour Day Celebration on May 1 and the up coming May 20 celebrations. According to him, the celebrations might hamper the smooth functioning of the election.
But the candidates became furious over what they termed, continuous expenditure to campaign. Fonven and Epie complained that after paying a non-refundable FCFA 50,000 each to their Independent Supervisory Commission, ISEC to run the election, they were financially bankrupt.
They questioned how the May celebrations could disrupt their elections considering that they have an independent body.Early on May 2, the two drivers began rallying their colleagues to go in for a strike against the SDO's decision.
Their supporters obeyed and insisted that until Zangbwala repealed his decision they would not go to work.But when the news reached some KUTTADRA executive members, they immediately informed the administration of the looming strike.
It was at this juncture that the 1st and 2nd Assistant SDO, accompanied by the Commissioner of Special Branch Kumba, drove to BICEC junction and stopped some drivers who had assembled there.
The administrators then arrested Fonven and Epie for rallying drivers to demonstrate. Before their release, they signed an undertaken never to cause strike in Kumba.The SDO reportedly declared their candidature null and void. Some KUTTADRA members said the two candidates might be replaced before the elections.
Alleged Embezzlement
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Meanwhile, some KUTTADRA members have accused ISEC of massive embezzlement. A driver, Eugene Ngwa, said the committee collected FCFA 200,000 non-refundable from four drivers vying for presidency but it is alleged the money has been embezzled.
Ngwa stated that this might be the hidden agenda behind the postponement of their elections three times.The driver also wondered what ISEC would be doing with FCFA 200,000 considering that the election is not computerized.
Speaking to The Post at their Kumba office, the Chairman of ISEC, Maurice Modika said all allegations against them were unfounded.
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