CPA Parliamentary Academy
Governance

Former CPA Chairperson: Hon. Emilia Lifaka, MP (Cameroon)


Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka (1959-2021) entered Parliament in 2002. She enjoyed the confidence of her electorates three times in very highly contested elections in Cameroon. Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka was first elected to the National Assembly in 2002 to represent the constituency of Fako West. Because of her hard work and dedication, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka in 2007 was designated Deputy Majority Group Leader by her party the ruling CPDM. She was a Substantive Member of the Central Committee. 

She was later elected Deputy Speaker of the house in 2009, a position she occupied until her death in 2021. She served her Parliament in different sub Committees such as; Committee of Finance and the Budget, Constitutional Laws Committee, Member of the Executive Committee of Good Governance of the National Assembly and also as a Member of the National Commission of Human Rights and Freedom. She represented the National Assembly in the National Decentralization Council from 2007-2014.

Since 2007 Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka has been very engaged in CPA activities and attended meetings regularly both in Africa and internationally.

Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka was elected as the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee in November 2017 at the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh and had undertaken a wide range of activities for the CPA in governance and parliamentary development. She had previously served as CPA Vice-Chairperson from 2016-2017; CPA Africa Regional Representative from 2015-2017; Conference Coordinator of the 60th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in Cameroon in 2014; and from 2007 to present as the Coordinator of CPA International Activities for the National Assembly of Cameroon.

She was passionate about the CPA and had delivered presentations within CPA Africa Region for many years.

She was a single mother with two adult boys. She held several degrees and diplomas from Cameroon, the UK and the USA including: Diploma in Secretarial and Business Studies from Crown Secretarial and Business Studies College London (Sponsored by the Institute of Agronomic Research), a diploma in Administrative Management from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore USA (under a USAID/GRC programme) and MBA in Human Resource Management with Anglia Ruskin University in the UK.

She was also a holder of three National distinctions:

  • Knight of the Cameroon National Order of Merit
  • Officer of the Cameroon National Order of Merit
  • Knight of the National Order of Valor

In her quest to support young women, she was a mentor to a number of women’s groups and took a particular interest in the training of young women through the Fako West Scholarship Programme.

Former CPA Chairperson's speeches and messages

08/03/2021: Commonwealth Day 2021
Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP, Chairperson of the CPA International Executive Committee and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon released a Commonwealth Day 2021 video message on behalf of the CPA. Please click here to view the CPA Chairperson’s message.

04/01/2021: New Year's Message to all Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Branches
The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon, sent a message to all CPA Branches for New Year 2021. Please click here for message.

24/09/2020: 49th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) British Islands and Mediterranean (BIM) Regional Conference
The Regional Conference was hosted by the Parliament of Malta and CPA Malta Branch with a virtual meeting from 24 to 25 September 2020. The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon, addressed the opening of the regional conference via video link. Please click here for address.

15/09/2020: International Day of Democracy 2020
In her video message to Commonwealth Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon spoke about the importance of democracy in the Commonwealth to mark International Day of Democracy and encouraged Parliamentarians across the Commonwealth to reflect on what democracy means to them and share their experiences on this important day. Please click here to view her video message.

30/06/2020: International Day of Parliamentarism 2020 #WorldParliamentDay
The Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon released a video message and statement to mark International Day of Parliamentarism which highlighted the importance of parliamentary democracy and its value to societies and the global community. Please click here for address.

25/11/2019: 10th Commonwealth Youth Parliament, Delhi, India 
Speech by the CPA Chairperson, Hon. Emilia Lifaka, MP to the youth participants and Members of Parliament at the 10th Commonwealth Youth Parliament, hosted by the CPA Delhi Branch and Delhi Legislative Assembly. Please click here for address.

19/11/2019: 38th CPA Australia and Pacific Regional Conference, South Australia 
Address by the CPA Chairperson, Hon. Emilia Lifaka, MP to the Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff at the 38th CPA Australia and Pacific Regional Conference (distributed to delegates). Please click here for address.

26/09/2019: 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, Uganda 
Speech by the CPA Chairperson, Hon. Emilia Lifaka, MP at the opening of the annual conference held in Kampala, Uganda. Please click here for address.

04/04/2019: Visit to the Parliament of Tanzania and CPA Africa Regional Secretariat

Speech by the CPA Chairperson, Hon. Emilia Lifaka, MP to the Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff at the National Assembly of Tanzania. Please click here for speech.   

24/07/2018: 56th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Canada Regional Conference, Ottawa, Canada
Speech by the CPA Chairperson, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP at the CPA Canada Regional Conference in Ottawa. Please click here for speech.

10/07/2018: 44th Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie, Quebec, Canada 
Speech by Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP, Chairperson of the Executive Committee to the 44th Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie - L’Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF)
in Quebec, Canada - please click here for speech in English and in French.

26/02/2018: Commonwealth Parliamentarians Forum, London, United Kingdom
The CPA Chairperson's speech at the opening plenary session of the Forum ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting (CHOGM) - please click here for speech.

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