Transport agencies and motor parks in Bamenda
have witnessed an unprecedented influx of passengers demanding transportation
services to towns out of the North West region.
“In the last two weeks it has not been easy
for us. Many people are coming with large luggage asking to travel to Douala
and Yaoundé. Most of the luggage is made up of beds, mattresses and food
items.” A loader in a transport agency tells us in Bamenda
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Luggage
and passengers waiting in a bus-less travel agency in Bamenda
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“I am here with my two children and we are
going to Yaoundé to meet my elder sister. I am from Wum where we have not had
electricity for many days and the roads have also been blocked for many days. I
had to go round passing through Fundong and then bushes to come to Bamenda. I
covered a majority of the distance on foot. I am surprise these children are
still this strong after the horrible experience we went through. Don’t ask me
about the security of the road my brother.” A tired looking lady with two kids who
gave his name as Mirabel said adding that she is a teacher of a school in Wum
while waiting for a bus in a travel agency along Sonac Street.
At an illegal park at finance junction that
mostly transports people and goods to the West Region, it is a full business
day with vehicles still seen loading at about 2pm despite the fact that
ordinarily such a park shuts down at 6am. Njoufack Sylvestre tells me “there is
a lot of uncertainty in this town now brother. I hear lots of things may be
happening in the days ahead and that is why I want to go and leave my wife and
children in the house in Mbouda before coming back. We have a house here and I
do a small business so I will go and keep them and come back and be managing
alone.”
With the dawn to dusk curfew placed on the
region from last Sunday, transport agencies now have to multiply trips by day
from the region instead of the regular day and night journeys. A transport
agency manager who will not want to be name explains “it has not been easy
since Monday after the curfew was announced. That day we even abandoned lots of
people here who had paid for night journeys but were around at 4pm the time we
left. Every day now at least ten buses travel with the last leaving at 3pm.
Before now only three buses could travel by day and the rest by night. One
thing that disturbs us now is the kind of loads that passengers come with;
beds, stands, mattresses and so on.”
Though none of the travellers is prepared to
share the reason why they are moving, speculations are rife that many fear for
the unknown mindful of social media threats against presidential election
campaigns and voting in the region by pro-independence activists.