Development Constitution_of_Cameroon

1 development

1.1 constitution of 1960
1.2 constitution of federal republic of cameroon
1.3 constitution of united republic of cameroon
1.4 constitution of republic of cameroon of 1984
1.5 constitution of republic of cameroon of 1996
1.6 modifications constitution of republic of cameroon in 2008

development
constitution of 1960

in 1959, france agreed grant independence cameroun colony , set date of 1 january 1960 date new nation come being. original constitution hurriedly drafted in 1959 meet deadline. framers based many provisions, such outlining powers of president, on french models. constitution went effect on 1 january 1960. under it, cameroon defined unitary state one-house parliament, members directly elected under universal suffrage.

constitution of federal republic of cameroon

when british southern cameroons voted join french cameroun 21 months later, delegates of both francophone , anglophone portions of country drafted new constitution @ foumban conference. cameroon made federation, east cameroon , west cameroon constituent states. nation changed name federal republic of cameroon. each state had own prime minister , legislature; in east cameroon, legislature unicameral, in west cameroon, west cameroon house of chiefs added. constitution established powerful federal government. president presided on union, served vice president, cabinet, , 50-member federal legislature.

the new document went force on 1 october 1961. in 1969, constitution amended prolong life of federal assembly , alter selection process prime ministers of states. many years, vice-president , prime minister of west cameroon same person, in 1970, amendment stipulated vice president not hold other government office.

constitution of united republic of cameroon

in 1972, new constitution drafted. document abolished federal system , placed broad political power in position of president. name of country changed united republic of cameroon. previous legislative system replaced unicameral national assembly of 120 seats. speaker of national assembly established successor president. nevertheless, body held little real power.

the new document put popular referendum , approved on 20 may 1972. on 2 june 1972, president ahmadou ahidjo issued decree 72-270, bringing new document law. on 9 may 1975, amendment established position of prime minister. on 29 june 1979, amendment established prime minister presidential successor. under law, paul biya replaced ahmadou ahidjo president of cameroon in november 1982.

constitution of republic of cameroon of 1984

biya , ahidjo feuded behind scenes on maintain political power in cameroon. after winning battle, biya pushed through new constitution in 1984. document altered articles 1, 5, , 7 of previous constitution. article 1 renamed country republic of cameroon. article 5 did away post of prime minister. article 7 established speaker of national assembly presidential successor, stipulated member of government receive presidential powers in event of emergency. successor or interim president forbidden make or change laws or structure of government, alter constitution, or participate in presidential election.

constitution of republic of cameroon of 1996

with liberalisation of cameroonian politics in 1990s, pressure groups anglophone region demanded changes cameroon s government, preferring return federal system of government. paul biya responded pressure, , on 18 january 1996, law number 96/06 enacted new constitution in cameroon. main changes came in article 14, established senate upper house of legislature, , article 6, extended president s term limit 7 years, , placed president of senate or vice-president president s successor. constitution replaces provinces semi-autonomous regions .

modifications constitution of republic of cameroon in 2008

on 10 april 2008, national assembly overwhelmingly passed bill amend law 96/06 change constitution provide president immunity prosecution acts president , allow chief executive run unlimited re-elections, along number of other changes. vote took place after opposition social democratic front (sdf) representatives walked out of assembly, , 1 month after 2008 cameroonian anti-government protests, widespread violence resulted in dozens of deaths , hundreds of arrests of demonstrators protesting price rises , proposed constitutional changes.

there limited public discussion of changes leading vote, declarations sdf leader john fru ndi reportedly prohibited in national press , television alain belibi director of information @ crtv. song titled 50 years in power popular cameroon singer longuè longuè reportedly banned director of programmes @ crtv, celestin boten, , 1 journalist had played song, billy karson, suspended , banned air. artist lapiro de mbanga, had composed song titled constitution constipée ( constipated constitution ) arrested, , painter joe la conscience (joe de vinci kameni), had attempted walk loum yaoundé give petition of 100 signatures cameroon president paul biya against constitutional changes, sentenced 6 months in prison. , colleague arrested after initiating hunger strike having held prohibited meeting, meeting reportedly consisted of 2 individuals in private residence @ tsinga.

the proposed changes published in national newspaper, cameroon tribune, on 7 april 2008, changes listed did not include proposed changes article 53 paragraphs 3 , 5, paragraphs according immunity president.

five members of parliament voted against bill. opposition lawmakers , @ least 1 member of ruling cameroon people s democratic movement (cpdm), paul abine ayah, member akwaya, criticised bill setback democracy , country in general. following vote revealed ayah, had indicated vote against bill, absent during vote, , despite having established no procuration, supportive ballot cast in name fellow cpdm mp monjowa lifaka emilia, member fako west. presidential delegate minister national assembly, gregoire owona, reportedly indicated on cameroon state-owned national radio station, crtv, had seen procuration signed paul abine ayah, ayah insisted had not signed procuartion period of constitutional law vote period 28 march 2008 31 march 2008. on 17 april 2008 daily newspaper quotidien mutations published purported procuration signed abine ayah period of vote[[media:[1]]] however, abine ayah continued deny having signed procuration , insisted published document fake.