The Implementation of Administrative Litigation by the Administrative Courts in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon
Keywords:
Administrative Courts, Administrative litigation, South West Region, and North West Region.Abstract
Administrative litigation in Cameroon has evolved through three distinct historical periods shaped by political transitions. Despite successive reforms, the substantive content governing administrative courts has remained largely unchanged. Rooted in the French civil law tradition, the system creates structural tensions in the bi-jural North-West and South-West regions. This study appraises how effectively administrative courts in these English-speaking regions adjudicate disputes. A qualitative approach was adopted, judicial decisions, document review, and unstructured interviews with judges, lawyers, and court registrars. Findings reveal critical disparities between the French and English versions of Law No. 2006/022, particularly in translation and legal terminology. These disparities create ambiguity and unequal application of the law. Additionally, bi-jural tensions, weak institutional capacity, and the armed conflict further undermine effective adjudication. As a result, access to justice in these regions remains significantly compromised. Legislative reform, institutional capacity building, and strengthened professional training are therefore necessary to improve administrative justice in English-speaking regions of Cameroon.
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