Cameroon anti-corruption watchdogs at loggerhead
July 7, 2014

The ongoing bickering, backstabbing and squabbling between the Supreme State Audit and the National Anti-Corruption Commission, CONAC, two state institutions established to fight the horrible corruption that is destroying Cameroon, is clear indication of how far things have fallen apart in this country.

Such infighting between partner state institutions created to conjugate efforts in a complementary manner to face a common problem can only be the logical outcome of a power struggle in which each of the institutions is striving to score points before the almighty boss � President Paul Biya, who appointed them to their juicy functions.

What in the first place was the reason for creating two institutions to spearhead the war against a hideous, vicious and pervasive problem like corruption that could have been better handled by a single powerful and independent agency, headed by an ombudsman with sufficient means and power to access and investigate stakeholder institutions, agencies and personalities and to take full measures to authorize the arrest of transgressors for trial by an independent judiciary?

The creation of two powerful institutions whose roles are not defined in such a manner as to avoid duplication and interference can result in confusion, jealousy and in fighting of the sought that may actually neutralize or nullify any well intended efforts against this endemic cankerworm. That can only result in the perpetration of our prevailing malignant social environment in which tribalism and impunity reigns supreme, and crooks, barons and untouchables, and sacred cows squander state funds and resources with total impunity.

The Supreme State Audit is accusing CONAC of extravagance in the exploitation of State funds. This sounds very much like the pot calling the kettle black. Who at that level in the Cameroon administration does not indulge in some degree of extravagance and conspicuous corruption of all the slosh funds that they siphon out of a system deliberately riddled with multiple financial loopholes?

And why CONAC should be expected to do otherwise when their superiors do a lot worse and get away with it. The whole affair smacks of the holier than thou attitude of the biblical Pharisee who went to the church and tried to score points for himself with the Lord by highlighting the depravities and vices of the tax payer of ill repute.

What is happening between the Supreme State Audit and CONAC is just another manifestation of the same canker worm which raised its ugly head within the ranks of the Cameroon national team, the Indomitable Lions during the 2014 Brazil World cup, where infighting between officials and players made headline news worldwide.

These two cases of infighting also brings to mind the prophetic wisdom behind the words of our Lord in the book of Mathew where He says; "Every kingdom divided against itself will not stand."

Samson Muteh