Anti-Paul Biya protesters demonstrate in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on October 27, 2018, to denounce Paul Biya's rigging of Cameroon's presidential election. (Photo by Julien Mattia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
TCameroon's opposition has followed an alarming trajectory since it was legalized in 1990.
At first things looked positive. Vibrant political parties emerged, including the Social Democratic Front (SDF), led by the charismatic N.J. Hlu Ndi. It won more than half of the seats in the parliament.
Everything changed when President Paul Biya secured re-election, winning just 4% over President Ndi. Biya braced herself, realizing how close she was to defeat.suppression
Restrictive measures such as banning gatherings have been strengthened,
A demonstration was introduced.
Worse still, Biya's efforts to divide and control the opposition by sponsoring some groups and co-opting others has led to destructive divisions. There are now more than 300 opposition parties. There is no equivalent to Biya's Cameroonian People's Democratic Movement.
But Biya is not the only problem. The lack of a common vision, underpinned by ethnic divisions, prevents the emergence of a more coherent challenge to the ruling party's hegemony. The SDF has also struggled to replace Ndi, struggling with conflict in the country's English-speaking regions, making it difficult to operate from home.
Taken together, these challenges explain why the opposition only has 28 of the 180 seats in parliament and no senators. Even Maurice Camuto's decision to form the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) in 2012 failed to bring about political change.
Despite much fanfare, Camuto controversially won only 14% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election.
But even in the darkest moments, there is hope. The MRC, which boycotted the 2020 parliamentary and local elections, will participate in the 2025 polls.
Opposition parties are also beginning to rally to drive a massive voter registration drive and form a coalition around the Alliance for Change. Although Biya remains in control, opposition supporters can now dream of a comeback.
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