Cork's deputy Lord Mayor: 'There are not enough people from the minority background in politics'

FOR Honore Kamegni the year 2024 is one which saw him make significant strides forward in this political career.

Cameroon native Mr Kamegni in June not only became the first black person to sit on Cork City Council, but he also was shortly afterwards selected as the Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork.

He was elected to the council on the 12th count in Cork City South East on what was very much a landmark occasion.

Speaking to The Echo just prior to the Christmas break, he comes across as someone who is constantly interested in collaborating, and progressing on issues that matter most to the people of Cork city.

He wants to be an example to everyone that it is possible to set out and achieve your ambitions through hard work and dedication and show there is a pathway for future generations of people in Ireland from migrant backgrounds, that they can make a significant and meaningful contribution to Irish political life.

“Politics is a good thing and there are not enough people from the minority background in politics,” said Mr Kamegni.

“We have children and the future generations that are coming. We have to lead them and we need leaders. We need more people to join me on the field and inspire the children and inspire the future generations that are coming.

“I am very proud to become the first black person to sit on Cork City Council. I am proud to have done this as a member of the Green Party. There are many issues in the world today, but one issue we cannot afford to let slip off the agenda is the existential crisis of climate change.”

Through his work as a postman in the Douglas and Rochestown areas for 14 years, Mr Kamegni was able to obtain a grasp of the main issues which were being faced by the people he met at the doors.

He has always been involved in the community. He has done work with Special Olympics Ireland since 2005 and has also been an active member of both the Mahon and Blackrock Tidy Towns.

He added: “I want to make history and leave a safe planet to my children.

“In 2022, I saw a photo of the councillors in Cork City Council. Out of the 31 councillors there was not a single black person in the photo.

“It was not representative of the Cork population, which is diverse and multicultural.

“Then I said to myself that I have to do something about it. I luckily met the chair of the Green Party branch in Cork in that same period and he had the same project as me. I agreed to join him for the fight.

“It was a difficult, demanding and hard-working campaign trail. For 14 months I was canvassing, weekends and bank holidays included. I knocked on at least 15,000 doors from rural to city, because I knew that only hard work could get me in. I said to myself that I am a new candidate and I have to know the people I am representing and they should know me as well.

“I got horrible, horrible stuff online, but I didn’t let it distract me from my campaign. I just ignored them and kept on focusing on my campaign.

“No need to interact with these people. I don’t know them and they might be living in China, USA, France, Australia, England, etc. I spoke to the real people at the doorsteps and they were very supportive and encouraging.”

With regards to some of the main issues which he addresses, he outlines how issues such as expanding public transport, making local streets safe and welcoming to the local community are among those top of his agenda.

“Councils used to provide enough housing for people until the takeover of a failed ideology, which saw councils leave a vacuum in the housing sector, supposedly to be filled by private developers.

“We have the power to break this pattern and take a leading role in the housing sector again.

“I will use every power available to me to support the development of public, private and affordable housing and cost rental to meet our needs, particularly for young people still living at home.

“We need leadership to modernise the transport system to cater for the major new housing development we need and will have. I want to make the best use of limited road space to minimise journey times and promote a healthy city.

“I want to bring derelict buildings back to life, fix potholes, develop more rainbow clubs and places for families, and make 30 km/h speed zones the norm to save lives and make the places we live in for local people instead of through traffic.”

2024 has been a big year in the political life of Honore Kamegni.

2025 will be a year which he will be hoping to make even further progress in the political world and also be a strong public representative for the people in Cork city.