In Cameroon, the debate over institutional reform has resurfaced with intensity, fueled by a critical analysis from Dr. David Makongo. In his opinion piece titled “Dilemma of a nation under a foreign colonial Constitution,” the scholar challenges the very foundations of the country’s political organization, which he considers deeply shaped by a colonial legacy.
According to Dr. David Makongo, the current Constitution—born in the context of independence in 1960—would still structure Cameroonian political life without a genuine break from its original spirit. Although it has undergone multiple amendments, he views it as ill-suited to the requirements of modern, democratic governance, given an initial orientation focused more on control than on expressing popular sovereignty.
In this context, the proposal to create—or reintroduce—the position of vice president raises serious questions. For Dr. David Makongo, this initiative would not address citizens’ deeper aspirations; rather, it would fit into a logic of reconfiguring executive power for the benefit of a system already criticized for its imbalance.
The analysis also highlights the economic implications of such an institutional framework. It describes a structure that would encourage the concentration of wealth and opportunities in the hands of a minority, to the detriment of more inclusive development. Added to this, he argues, is a tendency to instrumentalize constitutional revisions—allowing political elites to adjust the rules to their advantage, notably regarding term lengths or the weakening of oversight institutions.
On the democratic front, the legitimacy of leaders is also questioned. Dr. David Makongo believes the current system may maintain a gap between the mechanisms for selecting power and the people’s true will, thereby feeding a climate of distrust.
Ultimately, Dr. David Makongo’s piece sharply raises the question of Cameroon’s political and institutional sovereignty. Between historical legacy and the need for refoundation, the debate over the Constitution—and the creation of a vice-presidency—appears as a central issue for the country’s future.
Dr. David Makongo