By Nformi Sonde Kinsai
The President of the Cameroon Bar Association, Bâtonnier Mbah Eric Mbah, has stated that the naming and shaming of persons involved in acts of corruption is a universal practice that positively combats corruption and it would be no exception in Cameroon.
He said, beginning from within the Bar through the entire judicial system and beyond, they are going to call names and shame all persons identified as corrupt in the country.
He made the promise in Yaounde on December 18, 2025, when he was given the opportunity to speak during the official signing of an agreement between CONAC and the Bar Association to mutually joint efforts in the fight against corruption in Cameroon. Bâtonnier Mbah’s declarations were chilling as the hall went dead as he thundered on exposing corrupt practices in some sectors.
In his opening statement he said every lawyer by it very definition is a fighter against corruption as the propelling factor that pulls anybody to join the legal team is the desire to reject injustice.
“So, we are very happy that CONAC has not only welcome us but has given us the pride of place and I am happy that the Bar Council Members are here to see that it is not just a procedural formality we are doing here,” he said.
The Battonnier continued: “It is not just one of those things that we sign and put in the drawers. But from the presentation it tells us that CONAC believes that we are going to make this country move a step ahead towards this fight against corruption.
“Corruption is worse that cancer. It is staggering. I don’t know in which domain in Cameroon that we can say it is free of corruption. We are deep in it. It is overwhelming. And the devastating consequences of corruption are those that we cannot under estimate.
“Mr. President, I used to even think that perhaps the clergy is even free from it. But I can tell you every sector in this country is plagued with corruption. The dimension to which corruption has plagued this country invites each and every one of us to sit up.
“I want to pledge our total collaboration, commitment to see that we assist CONAC in everywhere possible to realise your goal. We as lawyers have said it – there is a lot of dynamism that we are going to bring into this partnership because one thing we have asked all the years is: where are the courts? This is because naming and shaming is part of fighting against corruption.
“We cannot contend ourselves by preparing good documents , carrying out research, identifying acts and people who are corrupt and all we do is sit down, elaborate the reports, send to the Presidency , the Prime Ministry… If that is what is going to take place then the Bar is not part of it.
“We must be able to let the Cameroonian public know those who are corrupt. Shaming and naming is part of fighting corruption universally. It has a psychological effect.
“It is so deep in our society that even at home; parents are indulging their children in corrupt practices, perhaps unknowingly. There is a new practice where teachers have to teach but are doing some peripheral work in school. They now have private classes at home; children have to take gifts to go and give to their teachers, and all of that. That is not in any way intended to mean that the education sector is the worse, no! It tells you how far we have gone.
“When you come to the judiciary, it is the same. You see on the boards of the walls of the court they tell you bail is free. But when the surety that wants to take somebody on bail applies, the gendarme or police officer is there telling him/her that before I sign this document, you must pay this sum of money. It is worse than we think.
“When we talk to foreign investors, they tell you we cannot invest in Cameroon because we are not sure that our investments would be protected. It is so sad a situation. Ladies and gentlemen, it is something that we must make conscious efforts to save this country. We may not understand how disgraceful it is. It is a shame with what is happening to this country.
“You go to the health sector, it is the same. I remember that during the Mbankolo mudflow disaster, government came out and said it was going to take care of the victims. The Minister of Territorial Administration came out and gave gifts which had been given by the Head of State. You will not believe that when members of the Bar and I went to the hospital, we discovered that the same bills government had decreed that they were free, nurses were collecting money. They only had to stop because we went on the air and said that is what was happening. It is common place.
“You are travelling from here to Douala, Bafoussam to Bamenda or other parts of the country; you see police and gendarmes on the way. They have put up posts for collection of money, conspicuously. Nobody hides it. You come and give FCFA 2,000, you are given back change. Drivers come up and complain that they got up late and have not worked any money yet and their names are recorded for them to give the money in the afternoon. This is Cameroon. It is disheartening.
“In almost all the public entrance examinations in this country, we know what is happening. They say health for all but we know that the entrance into the medical school is through corruption. Our health is in danger. Because we have godfathers, because we work in the transport sector, we give out driving licences to people who are not qualified. Those are murderers we are sending on the road. Every day, we hear of accidents on the road, and how people are being killed. Those are the fruits of corruption.
“Your son is rebellious, has gotten into drugs and what you do is to pushed him to get into the military. He gets there and becomes an armed robber. He takes the gun and instead of protecting, he is killing Cameroonians. That is corruption.”