Passengers re-engage perilous Bda-Mamfe as Mbouda axis remains closed
By Nchendzengang Tatah
More passengers are resorting to the Bamenda – Mamfe – Kumba road after the prolonged disruption of traffic on the Mbouda axis. The stretch through Mamfe with a more expensive fare had, since 2018, been less used as separatist armed groups had enforced fear, carried out kidnapping and destruction of lives and properties around it.
Despite being almost fully tarred and shorter in distance, the road was abandoned by travel agencies following warnings from separatist kingpins.
Notwithstanding the horrific encounters on particular sections of the over 349 km road passing through Bali, Batibo, Widikum, Konye, Kumba, and Muyuka, it has, in recent months, recorded fewer security threats.
Conversely, the usual axis through Bafoussam, which measures roughly 369 km, is grounded as protesters have poured into it in response to the presidential election result proclamation on October 27.
While motorcoaches are yet to begin plying the near-abandoned road, passengers boarding for Buea can only take drops costing approximately CFA 15,000. When the bus fare through Bafoussam is only CFA 6,500.
Students, rushing for deadlines, are reportedly braving the odds through the high cost and inadequate security imperatives to get to Buea. It is the town of Cameroon’s pioneer Anglo-Saxon varsity, the University of Buea, whose academic year began on October 8. UB was in a recent international ranking named the best in the country.
