Youth Connekt Cameroon 2026: Discovering the National Assembly

Young people from the 10 regions of Cameroon, who came to take part in the 7th edition of the Youth Connekt Cameroon Convention, went on a guided tour of the Paul Biya Glass Palace on November 9, 2026.

By CHARLIE LEKISABIH

Upon arrival at the Paul Biya Glass Palace, the youths were welcomed by the institution’s administrators. Their first stop was the Parliamentary Museum, where they received a description of the various seats in the chamber.

The visit also included the main building, where the President of the Republic took the oath of office for his eighth term. The National Assembly is the lower house of Cameroon’s bicameral Parliament. It has 180 members of parliament (MPs), who serve five-year terms. Its Speaker is Théodore Datouo, who was elected on 17 March 2026 with 133 of the 147 valid votes cast. He succeeded Cavaye Yeguié Djibril, whose 34-year tenure he ended. The Assembly can hold up to three ordinary sessions a year, in March, June and November, each lasting up to 30 days.The Assembly exercises legislative power, alongside the Senate, in key areas such as fundamental rights, judicial and administrative organization, and state finances, including review of the finance bill. Its 180 deputies are elected by direct and secret universal suffrage across 49 constituencies.

They are meant to voice the concerns and interests of the people in their regions. The Assembly can question the government in writing or orally, set up committees of inquiry, and vote the budget. It can also sanction the government through a motion of no confidence passed by a two-thirds majority.For the young delegates, the visit offered a first-hand look at the institution that shapes the country’s laws, just as the country prepares for new parliamentary elections. It was also a chance to reflect on the role of citizens, and of youth in particular, in public life.