The Regional Secretary of the National Commission of Human Rights and Freedoms, Christopher Tambe Tiku has petitioned the Mayor of Buea, Patrick Esunge Ekema, on his (Ekema’s) “highhandedness” against citizens of Buea.

The memo No RCH221/NCHRF/SWB/RS/RAP/16 of June 30, 2016 titled: “Abuse Of Office By You Against Individuals Of Your Municipality,” which The Post procured reads: “We are compelled to write to you because of your unavailability and characteristic disregard for state institutions. All attempts to reach you by telephone have been futile.”

The memo, which is copied to the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, the Governor of the Southwest Region, the SDO of Fako, the Attorney General (SWR), the State Counsel, Buea, States: “Mr. Mayor, the purpose of this letter is to bring to your attention the wanton abuse of power and disregard for the rule of law by yourself.

After the re-organisation of basic organs of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, in which your list was eliminated, you embarked systematically on witch-hunting, identifying your opponents and victimising them accordingly.”

After saying that his bureau cannot fathom the logic and actions of the Mayor, Tambe Tiku remarked that such actions “run contrary to the vision of the Head of State whose priority is to improve on the livelihood of Cameroonians. Your vision in this Region, however, is to threaten people’s lives, impoverish them and, more degradingly, reduce them to beggars.”

The human rights activist tells the Mayor in the memo: “You arbitrarily suspended the salaries of Mbua Elizabeth Ngowo, Monono Hans Manga and Bissong Dickson Tanyi, who have all been unduly deprived of their salaries for 11, eight and four months, respectively.

Still in violation of the rule of law, you used the municipal police to brutalise them, if they attempt to enter the Council premises. It is on record that these “victims” have served 27, 17 and 18 years, respectively, as staff of the Council.”

Tambe Tiku observed that the Mayor’s action “… is not only an abuse to their fundamental rights to work and earn a wage but goes contrary to Dicey’s Principle for the respect of the rule of law, which rule requires that governments and their agents like you, should only use powers clearly defined by statute or the common law and that they should be restricted from using arbitrary or discretionary powers to interfere with the liberty of individuals.

This principle is universally accepted and applied by modern democracies.” Tambe Tiku observes that the actions of the Mayor run contrary to Dicey’s rule of law.

The rights activist further chastises the Mayor on his “recent deployment of Municipal Police to seize firewood belonging to Madam Enow Sally, the current Sub-Section President of WCPDM Molyko/Wokoko.

It beats one’s imagination how a Mayor of your calibre should resort to such flagrant disregard of the rule of law and exposing Municipal Police to such risk and illegality.”

Tambe Tiku states further: “As if that was not enough, you intruded into her family structure which is under construction. This time you tried to act in conformity with the law but missed the point by allowing yourself to be over-carried by vengeance.

You requested Madam Enow Sally to present her official documents of ownership and Building Permit. Before the 48 hours deadline could elapse, you had already marked “demolish” on her building. What a contradiction! It translates absolutely to bias, hatred and victimisation.”

Tambe tells the Mayor: “Your notification letter to her is couched in such strong, prolix, verbose and in some places in plainly insolent language that it becomes inexplicable why a Mayor of your calibre and formidable intelligence should have this tendency at all.

Your threat to demolish her structure is a mere surplusage, superfluous, unnecessary and unconstitutional. It may expose you to dire consequences. We shall cry foul in the law courts. If the courts frustrate our actions, we shall resort to the Human Rights Committee in Geneva.”