In Cameroon, the length of parliamentary sessions is raising concerns. Journalist Guibai Gatama questions whether the National Assembly can fulfill its constitutional duties with just three annual 30-day sessions.

Guibai Gatama challenges the effectiveness of Cameroon’s National Assembly. He argues that the current parliamentary calendar, limited to three annual 30-day sessions, prevents lawmakers from adequately fulfilling their duties—including government oversight, lawmaking, and representing citizens.

In practice, plenary sessions often last only about two weeks per session, totaling roughly six weeks of active work annually. Gatama views this as insufficient given the pressing political, economic, and social challenges facing Cameroon.

To support his argument, Gatama compares Cameroon’s parliamentary schedule with other African nations. He highlights Chad, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire, where parliamentary sessions span eight to nine months annually, as well as Nigeria, where lawmakers operate nearly year-round.

Calls for a debate on parliamentary session lengths in Cameroon

Describing the National Assembly as seemingly “disconnected from the nation,” the founder of L’Œil du Sahel advocates for a formal debate on adjusting parliamentary session durations. He believes reforming the legislative calendar would strengthen public oversight, improve law examination, and better align the Assembly with citizens’ daily concerns.