Cameroon’s parliamentary sessions under scrutiny

Journalist Guibai Gatama is questioning the efficiency of Cameroon’s National Assembly, highlighting the limited duration of its sessions. With only three annual sessions of 30 days each, he argues that the current parliamentary calendar fails to provide lawmakers with sufficient time to fulfill their constitutional duties.

In practice, plenary sessions often last just two weeks per session, resulting in barely a month and a half of active legislative work throughout the year. Gatama believes this schedule is inadequate given the pressing political, economic, and social challenges facing Cameroon today.

To support his argument, Gatama compares Cameroon’s parliamentary calendar with those of other African nations. He points to Chad, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire, where parliamentary sessions extend over eight to nine months annually, as well as Nigeria, where the legislature operates nearly year-round.

Calls for reforming Cameroon’s parliamentary calendar

Gatama argues that the National Assembly appears “detached from the nation,” emphasizing the need for a comprehensive debate on reforming the parliamentary calendar. He believes that extending session durations would enhance government oversight, improve legislative scrutiny, and better align institutions with the daily concerns of citizens.