As the October presidential election draws near, the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) faces a grim internal outlook. The party is grappling with high-level disagreements, overlapping strategic efforts, and even dissident candidates. In a July 8 editorial in party media L’Action, senior party member Christophe Mien Zok offered a stark assessment. "Never has a vote been so riddled in its preliminary phase with so many twists and turns, psychodramas, backroom deals, maneuvers, and all sorts of plot twists over the course of several months," he wrote.
A Disrupted Sequence
"These past few days, it’s the CPDM and the ruling constellation, with all its components and branches, that’s making the news," Christophe Mien Zok stated. He noted "legitimate attempts to regain control" are "undermined by a series of tensions and blunders we could've done without." He did not mince words, describing "betrayals, suspicions, vendettas among comrades, and little murders among friends" as the hallmarks of a gripping political drama. This sharp tone deviates from the party's usual discreet communication style, revealing the depth of turbulence within its leadership.
A striking symptom of this internal disarray emerged within 24 hours. Two influential CPDM ministers voiced opposing views on President Biya’s candidacy. René Emmanuel Sadi, Minister of Communication and former Secretary-General of the CPDM Central Committee, stated the president’s candidacy stood at "about 50%" certainty. Conversely, Jacques Fame Ndongo, the party’s national secretary for communication, unequivocally asserted that "Paul Biya’s candidacy is beyond doubt." This resulted in an unprecedented media muddle, stunning both party members and political observers.
Elsewhere, tensions are escalating between key power brokers. Since July 1, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Secretary-General at the Presidency, has launched a strategic committee to prepare the president’s campaign, meeting with regional party elites. However, on July 8, Jean Nkuete, Secretary-General of the CPDM Central Committee, convened senior figures from the Centre region for the exact same purpose. Consequently, party officials were consulted twice on the same day, just hours apart, by two competing power centers that appear no longer aligned. This overlapping coordination illustrates an institutional rivalry becoming increasingly difficult to hide, even within the presidential apparatus.
Cracks in the Command Chain?
Adding to the disorder is a challenge from the party’s grassroots. Léon Theiller Onana, a municipal councilor in Monatélé and CPDM member, announced his own presidential candidacy, seemingly against the party leadership’s presumed wishes. He has filed a complaint alleging violations of the party’s statutes and argues that Paul Biya, in power since 1982, no longer possesses the legitimacy or capacity to seek an eighth term. Though an isolated case, this candidacy exposes deep unease at the party base, long considered reliably obedient.
Amid this internal storm, Christophe Mien Zok urged members to "keep their spirits up and stay faithful to the political line," despite "unorthodox temptations" and "attempts at destabilization." This serves more as an appeal to loyalty than to strategic clarity. Underlying it all, the CPDM’s image as a disciplined, monolithic machine is beginning to falter. The absence of an official stance on the presidential candidacy, the jostling among heavyweight insiders, and the proliferation of discordant voices within the party all point to a chain of command under strain. Long centered around Paul Biya’s persona, the CPDM now appears torn between managing continuity and grappling with succession pressures. The campaign may not have officially begun, but disorder is already in full swing.
Thierry Christophe Yamb