Cameroon's Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon (MRC) has challenged the authority of a Yaoundé court to hear a case brought by three party members seeking to remove Maurice Kamto from the party's leadership and place the opposition party under temporary court administration.
During the second hearing on July 16, lawyers representing the MRC asked the Yaoundé-Ekounou Court of First Instance to declare that the judge handling summary proceedings lacks jurisdiction over the case. They also argued that the lawsuit is inadmissible.
The case was filed by Willy Mengue, Laure Noutchang and Sébastien Mbala Wouria II, who are asking the court to challenge Kamto's status as head of the MRC and appoint a judicial administrator to manage the party on an interim basis.
The July 16 hearing followed an initial session on July 9, which was adjourned to allow the MRC's legal team to review the application, examine the supporting documents and submit written arguments.
Before the court, the party's lawyers argued that the case does not meet the legal conditions required for summary proceedings because it does not involve the level of urgency such cases require and raises substantive legal disputes that should be examined through ordinary court procedures.
The defense also argued that the application suffers from procedural defects affecting the validity of the filing and that the plaintiffs lack the legal interest required to bring the case.
At this stage, those arguments represent the MRC's defense and have not yet been ruled on by the court. Unlike the first hearing, where Willy Mengue appeared without legal representation, all three plaintiffs were represented on July 16 by attorney Me Bipan of the Cameroon Bar.
The lawsuit opens a new chapter in the internal disputes affecting the opposition party. Before considering the merits of the case, however, the court must first determine whether the summary proceedings judge has jurisdiction and whether the application is admissible. After receiving the MRC's written submissions, Me Bipan requested additional time to file a written response to the procedural objections raised by the defense.
The court scheduled the next hearing for July 21, 2026, at noon. Speaking after the hearing, Willy Mengue criticized the MRC's legal strategy and said he remained determined to pursue the case.
"The de facto leaders and their so-called president Maurice Kamto are relying on the court's lack of jurisdiction and the inadmissibility of the case. We will respond with solid legal arguments," he said.
The court must now rule on the preliminary objections raised by the MRC. Until those issues are resolved, no decision has been made on either the legitimacy of the party's leadership or the request to appoint a judicial administrator.
Thierry Christophe Yamb