Willy Mengue, a leading voice opposing the return of Maurice Kamto as president of the Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon (MRC), has called on Equinoxe TV to rebalance its news coverage.
The request for balanced reporting specifically concerns the party’s internal affairs following vice-president Mamadou Mota’s appearance on the show ‘La vérité en face’ on Sunday evening.
According to Mengue, this step is needed for reasons of ‘equity in information handling,’ ‘pursuit of journalistic truth,’ and ‘the public’s right to know.’
In an open letter addressed to Equinoxe TV’s CEO, Mengue wrote: ‘Urgently, if a direct debate between the two factions is not possible, a substantial right of reply must be granted on the program “vérité en face” which aired about Professor Maurice Kamto’s contested return to the MRC leadership. You chose to give a platform to my political friend Mamadou Mota on this key issue. The search for truth demands you offer the same service to the protesters, whom I represent.’
On Sunday evening, Mamadou Mota defended Kamto’s return to the party presidency. Mengue firmly contests this return, describing it as ‘fraudulent.’
Mengue added, ‘Equinoxe TV is known as the “people’s channel that reports beyond the image.” Your reporting on the manipulation of the MRC’s fundamental texts to enable the fraudulent return of a former resignee to the party leadership will only be fair and equitable if this right of reply is granted. The Cameroonian people are watching how you handle this matter.’
