Cameroon – Ghost agents, brutal seizures: what Yaoundé no longer wants to see

On October 21, Minister of Decentralization and Local Development Georges Elanga Obam set out limits on the powers of municipal police. According to Gaël Tsala Nkolo’s opinion piece, officers should focus on traffic, enforcing municipal orders and keeping cities clean, not act like commandos. The minister requires written mission orders, prohibits the use of force except in self-defence, and holds mayors responsible for their agents.