By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Barrister Mbah Eric Mbah has been re-elected as president of the Cameroon Bar Association. He was elected in the early hours of Wednesday, July 16, in Yaoundé, securing his second term.
Barrister Mbah, a seasoned lawyer from the Northwest Region who first took office in 2022, defeated contenders Anne Yolande Ngo Minyogo, Philippe Memong, and Arlette Ngoula Fotso. He garnered 1001 votes, significantly ahead of Ngo Minyogo (749), Memong (338), and Ngoula Fotso (265).
His re-election means that three Anglophones now hold the top positions within the Cameroon Bar Association: Bar President (Mbah Eric Mbah), President of the General Assembly (Ernest Gbaka), and Vice President of the General Assembly (Edward Ewule Lyonga).
Many observers did not anticipate Barrister Mbah Eric Mbah’s re-election, especially given Barrister Ernest Gbaka’s election as President of the General Assembly on Monday, July 15. Conventionally, and based on a gentleman’s agreement, if an Anglophone holds the position of President of the General Assembly, the Batonnier (Bar President) role is typically reserved for a Francophone, and vice versa.
Speaking after his re-election, Batonnier Mbah Eric thanked his colleagues and the Bureau for their diligent work and tireless efforts throughout the election process. “I want to equally thank the Cameroon Bar for confiding in me, for investing in me once more its confidence,” he stated.
Fifteen Bar Council members, who will oversee the affairs of the Cameroon Bar Council for the next two years, were also elected during the Elective General Assembly. Notably, the President of the Cameroon Union of Young Lawyers was chosen by his peers to serve as a Bar Council member.
The newly constituted team at the Bar faces the crucial task of ensuring the association continues to thrive despite various challenges. Mbah’s re-election comes with a renewed commitment to his previous promises, including the construction of a Bar head office in Yaoundé, projected to cost FCFA six billion.
He is also expected to boost access to training for lawyers, digitalize training programs, and enhance the protection of the profession and its members from all forms of intimidation.
As stipulated in Article 12 of the Rules of Procedure of the Cameroon Bar Association, this will be Batonnier Mbah Eric’s final term. The President of the Bar serves for a two-year term, renewable only once. In his capacity as President of the Bar, he will continue to serve as a representative (representing the Order in all acts of civil life), administrator, consultative member, and conciliator.
