National Gendarmerie : Defence Minister Witnesses Rehearsals

The National Gendarmerie is almost set to perform a thrilling military parade during the 2017 National Day celebrations in Yaounde.

The National Gendarmerie is leaving no stone unturned to put up an impeccable military parade in front of President Paul Biya at the 20th May Avenue in Yaounde on the occasion of the 45th National Day celebrations  on May 20, 2017.
The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo flanked by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Jean Baptiste Bokam and the Secretary of State in charge of War Victims and Ex-servicemen, Koumpa Issa witnessed the march past rehearsals at the Reunification Avenue in Ngoa-Ekelle, Yaounde on May 11, 2017. After the first trial , the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General René Claude Meka appreciated the performance and pointed out a few corrections that have to be done for the march past to be wonderful on the celebration day. He reminded them to work hard in order to respect the allocated time as the military parade by foot soldiers and motorised unit will last only  for one hour.
Speaking to the press after the rehearsals, the Commander of the Gendarmerie Troops for the March past, Colonel Bogmis Benjamin who is also the Commander of the National Gendarmerie Schools and Training Centres said they started practising on April 17, 2017. They had three practice sessions per week up to May 2, 2017 from when they have been practising everyday. Final rehearsals at the Ngoa-Ekelle practice grounds will be today, May 12, 2017 considering that from next week, the Gendarmerie will join other military corps for rehearsals at the 20th May Avenue.
The National Gendarmerie, he said, has placed this year’s National Day celebration on the theme, «Gendarmerie of Proximity, a Reality. » The National Gendarmerie press kit on the 2017 National Day celebration indicates that the main innovations in their parade is that the Gendarmes who constitute the various squares are new blood from the recent recruitment. The motorised unit will also parade with new vehicles recently handed to the corps by the Head of State. For foot soldiers, the National Gendarmerie will have five squares.
The curiosity with the march past practice at the Reunification Avenue in Ngoa-Ekelle is the fact that students of the Yaounde Combined Services Military Academy (EMIA) and those of the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) have also joined ...