CAMEROON: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IN PARLIAMENT,

C O N F I D E N T I A L YAOUNDE 000329 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C ADDIS FOR USAU PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2018 TAGS: PGOV KCOR PINR CM SUBJECT: CAMEROON: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IN PARLIAMENT, POLITICS HEATING UP REF: YAOUNDE 33 Classified By: Poloff Linnisa Wahid for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) The Deputy Secretary General of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) and head of parliamentary affairs at the Presidency, Gregoire Owona, told Pol/Econ Chief on April 4 that the text of a proposed constitutional revision was submitted to parliament late April 3 and that discussions on the bill would begin on April 4. This was confirmed by well-placed CPDM parliamentarians Zondoll Hersesse and Sali Hamadou, who said the text contains a controversial amendment to remove presidential term limits, thereby allowing President Paul Biya the possibility to remain in office beyond the expiration of his current term in ¶2011. They added that the constitutional amendment bill includes other much needed reforms to the Constitution such as allowing more time to organize a presidential election should the office be suddenly vacated or the incumbent become unable to govern. ¶2. (C) Comment: While many observers have been expecting this development during the current session of parliament, the bill's submission is a major political turning point. The timing coincides with the recent arrests of the notoriously corrupt former Ministers of Finance and Health and their collaborators. Some have praised this as a needed positive step in the fight against corruption but others, including some media commentators, see it as a diversionary tactic to draw attention away from the constitutional change and appease possible foreign critics. Rumors continue to point to an imminent Cabinet re-shuffle within the next few weeks, including possibly replacing Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni and Minister of Defense Remy Ze Meka. Given these rumors, the corruption arrests, the February riots (the country's worst in 15 years),the months of controversy surrounding the issue of changing term limits, and persistent economic frustrations (septel),today's submission of the constitutional amendment bill could herald the beginning of a politically volatile period. NELSON