Senator Ties Delayed CDC Pay to Loyalty

A long-awaited moment of relief for thousands of Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) workers has quickly turned into a political firestorm. The launch of salary arrears payments, intended to alleviate years of profound hardship, has been overshadowed by explicit demands from ruling party officials that workers must display political loyalty to incumbent President Paul Biya in the upcoming October 12 presidential election.

The controversy erupted during a working visit by Prime Minister Head of Government Joseph Dion Ngute to the South West region this week, where the payment of delayed wages was formally initiated.

Speaking to CDC employees in Limbe, Prime Minister Dion Ngute suggested that the workers owed their political allegiance to the 92-year-old president, who is seeking an eighth term in office. The Prime Minister stated pointedly that it would be a betrayal if they did not reciprocate the Head of State’s goodwill gesture in the upcoming presidential election.

The political pressure escalated dramatically when Senator Nfon Mukete IV Ekoko, a prominent member of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) and paramount ruler of Ekoko, addressed the media. The Senator issued a direct threat linking the receipt of earned wages to voting behavior.

“The CDC workers that have received their salaries today; We are watching!” Senator Mukete warned. “If they don’t cast their vote for president Paul Biya; For the CPDM champion candidate; The candidate not just for the CPDM – the candidate for Cameroonian people; If they don’t cast their vote, we’d accuse them that they are thieves…!”

Voter Intimidation Allegations

The remarks immediately drew sharp criticism from civil society and human rights advocates, who labeled the statements as clear acts of coercion and voter intimidation.

Human Rights Lawyer Felix Agbor Balla (Nkongho) reacted strongly to the Senator’s comments, describing the situation as “Deeply concerning and unacceptable.”

“The reported statement by Senator, Mukete IV Ekoko, threatening CDC workers with accusations of theft if they do not vote for President Biya, is a clear act of voter intimidation and a grave violation of democratic principles,” Nkongho stated. He emphasized that every citizen, including CDC employees, “has the right to vote freely, guided only by conscience, not by fear or coercion. Such rhetoric undermines trust, unity, and the very spirit of democracy.”

Hardship and Exploitation Context

The political demands are being made against a backdrop of severe suffering endured by the CDC workforce. While the payment of arrears has been formally launched, reports indicate that workers are yet to physically collect their money.

For years, these labourers have faced immense difficulties, including exploitation by management and extreme danger due to the ongoing conflict in the Anglophone regions. Some workers have reportedly suffered mutilation – losing fingers, toes, and limbs – at the hands of separatist fighters for daring to work during imposed “lockdowns.”

Critics argue that rather than demanding political fealty, authorities should be apologizing and compensating the workers who faced such endurance and hardship.