Cameroon: "Fake" decrees from June 8th were "true," says Jouvence party president

Valère Bessala, president of the Jouvence party, stated on Info TV's Libre Expression program on June 28, 2026, that decrees initially declared false and intercepted at the CRTV were in fact authentic. The controversy surrounds two decrees, one appointing a vice-president and another naming government members, which were presented in a sealed envelope to the national radio station by a young man. CRTV's radio editorial director and director-general prevented the documents from being broadcast on June 22, leading to the young man's arrest and detention by the gendarmerie. The incident, which occurred on June 23, 2026, has been described as a near "institutional catastrophe." One of the decrees, identified as decree n° 2026/202 dated June 8, 2026, reportedly names Johann Sitchom as vice-president, who is the same young man who attempted to submit the documents. Bessala argues that the decree number, 202, suggests authenticity as the previous decree was number 201. He also pointed out that Sitchom's name appears to have been added to the document, and that a well-known figure, Oswald Baboke, deputy director of the civil cabinet of the presidency, was allegedly substituted for Sitchom. Bessala suggests that Baboke may have been sacrificed in this affair, hinting at powerful instigators. He advises looking for the instigators at the location of the young man's arrest and detention, noting discrepancies in the reported locations and the lack of complaint from the suspect's family. Bessala's analysis suggests the event might be part of an attempt at an institutional coup d'état orchestrated by elements within the system.