Army and Civic Responsibility
Civic responsibility is the assignment of citizens in a society to exhibit certain attitudes and actions related to participation in the society for its growth and development.
Emmanuel NGOTA
The Cameroon army is not an exemption to this patriotic duty as they perform and pay allegiance to their nation and respect all laws that go by it for its smooth functioning at all levels. The growth of every country is the commitment of every citizen, irrespective of their jobs or status to contribute to its growth by respecting the laws that are within that country. The very mention of the term civic responsibility evokes the notion of what it means to live in democracy, social responsibility, civic engagement and community involvement, examples of which include voting rights, respecting state institutions, paying taxes, going to school to name a few. We should as citizens know that the importance of civic responsibility is paramount to the success of democracy more so, the active participation in the public life of a community in an informed, committed and constructive manner. The Cameroon army is in no way exempted to these activities, as added to their regalian mission and away from the guns, they are citizens and have the utmost duty to perform their civic responsibility whenever need arises.
Therefore, putting into question anyone’s credibility, the army inclusive will be inappropriate, as the Cameroon army during the recent elections played a great role not just in transporting materials to polls, but providing security to these materials and persons as well as participating in the voting process as citizen’s exercising their civic responsibility. Worthy to note here that they have been carrying on with this duty as far back as 1992 all corps inclusive till present date and make it a rendezvous when the opportunity presents itself.
We realize here that one hand cannot tie a bundle and it’s not just the duty of certain citizens but a mandatory affair as it will benefit everyone. Considering the fact that it is not a one man’s business but we all.
Critics may want to argue with certitude that the Cameroon defense forces participate in politics as they are accused time and again of filling the ballots boxes with ballot papers in favor of the ruling party. It is absurd and a lazy excuse for a looser who has nothing than to blame it on the rain. The personnel of the Cameroon defense are always ready like any other citizen to fulfil its civic responsibility like and other citizen while at the same time protect state institutions.
