Limited parliamentary sessions in Cameroun raise governance concerns

The current structure of Cameroun’s National Assembly has come under sharp criticism from journalist Guibai Gatama, who argues that the existing framework—comprising just three annual sessions of 30 days each—falls short of meeting the demands of effective legislative oversight and governance.

According to Gatama, the reality is even more stark: plenary sessions often last no more than two weeks per cycle, translating to barely six weeks of substantive legislative work annually. This, he contends, is woefully inadequate given the country’s pressing political, economic, and social challenges.

To highlight the disparity, Gatama draws comparisons with neighboring African nations. He points to Chad, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire, where parliamentary sessions span eight to nine months each year, as well as Nigeria, where the legislature operates nearly year-round. These examples, he suggests, underscore the need for Cameroun to reconsider its legislative calendar.

Calls for reform to strengthen democratic accountability

Gatama, founder of the newspaper L’Œil du Sahel, argues that the National Assembly’s limited session schedule gives the impression of operating in isolation from national priorities. He advocates for a structured debate on extending parliamentary sessions, emphasizing that such a reform would enhance public oversight of government actions, improve legislative scrutiny, and foster closer alignment between institutions and citizen concerns.