Motorcycle-taximen and central political power in Cameroon

Rolinx Ketcha Tantchou’s work is a powerful synthesis of his many empirical investigations into the relationship between motorcycle-taximen and central political power in Cameroon. Indeed, it was from the 1990s onwards that this phenomenon officially took shape on the streets of the economic capital Douala, in a context of revolt orchestrated by the radical opposition. Over time, it has undergone a number of changes. In addition to its function of facilitating the transport of client populations, its main players (the ＂benskineurs＂), who were heavily instrumentalized by politicians investing in crises, have transformed it into a mobilization and protest gadget - in short, a political resource. Although in a perpetual power struggle with the motorcycle-taximen, central government never ceased to apply public policies aimed at professionalizing and recognizing this urban and rural transport sector. As a result, the bendskineurs’ support for the dominant order has emerged. That’s why this scientific study is structured around the relationship between hate and love.