Cameroon: Are Commercial Motor Bike Riders in Douala Above the Law?

Commercial motor bike riders in Douala have been acting as though they operate in a different country where the laws don’t apply to them. While their counterparts in other towns and cities battle with police harassment and council officials ensuring they have the right papers to ply the road, the more than half million commercial […] The post Cameroon: Are Commercial Motor Bike Riders in Douala Above the Law? appeared first on TeboPost.

Cameroon: Are Commercial Motor Bike Riders in Douala Above the Law?

Commercial motorbike riders in Douala have been acting as though they operate in a different country where the laws don’t apply to them.

While their counterparts in other towns and cities battle with police harassment and council officials ensuring they have the right papers to ply the road, the more than half-million commercial motorbike riders in Douala have been working in a spirit of deja vus.

It suffices for a Cameroonian to save money and buy a motorbike and hit the road in Douala-you don’t need insurance, a driving license, a helmet or even your bike painted yellow as required by the law.

There are no checks whether the riders have adequate papers according to the laws of the land and any attempt by any government official whoever and whenever to bring order has been met with arrogant resistance.

The government has been careful in its approach to bring order in the sector which is fast becoming a nightmare for authorities.

Bike riders have completely snubbed the Prime Minister’s decree regulating the sector, they have no respect for traffic or any other road user and they survive through an unholy synergy which usually rallies countless bikes at a moment’s notice whenever there is a problem with a bike rider no matter who is at fault.

Recent protests in Douala 1, DOUALA 3 and today March 2nd 2021 in Mboppi where commercial bike riders chose the violent way to deal with municipal authorities once again raise serious questions about how order can be restored in the sector.

Many including administrative authorities behind closed doors are worried about the sector in the country's economic capital.

Many however believe the bike riders see that as their only hope of survival in a country where there are no jobs and any attempt to restrain them can easily lead to massive and uncontrolled protest which can trouble Yaounde.

Many administrative authorities including now Governor Okalia Bilai when he was Wouri SDO and Minister Paul Atanga Nji have attempted to reign order in the sector within the city and failed.
In 2018, Minister Atanga Nji gave them 3 months to put their sector in order, this is 2021 and the Minister’s instruction has been forgotten like many before him, no one really cares in Douala, even the Minister knows.

Many now believe the situation is one where the government might have to bear for the sake of its own survival.