At National Congress in Yaounde: Cameroon Front president, Chantal Kambiwa, urges women to champion change.

The event brought together members from across the country, as well as international guests, including representatives of the Socialist International, of which the Cameroon Front became a full member in December 2024.

Messages of support were received from allied parties abroad via video conference. Traditional leaders, civil society actors and representatives of government ministries were also present.

According to stakeholders, the meeting had three main objectives, which were to remobilise party members, contribute constructively to the forthcoming presidential election, while reaffirming respect for institutions and peace, as well as to lay the groundwork for the 2026 local elections.

In her address, Kambiwa said the congress was a turning point for the party as it ushers in a new era for service and to open political space for women and young people. 

She criticised the lack of women in senior decision-making roles, pointing out that the country has never had a female governor, despite ratifying international conventions on gender equality.

“What kind of democracy is it where the most numerous still have the most problems? Women have the power to change this. Sixty-five years of male dominance have brought us here. It is time for women to take responsibility,” she told those in attendance.

Youth take centre stage

According to Kambiwa, Cameroon Front is committed to strengthening youth leadership and social inclusion. She explained that young party members took the lead in managing proceedings, with a visually impaired member entrusted to read out resolutions. Kambiwa said this approach demonstrates the party’s commitment to political apprenticeship.

“At the Cameroon Front, we believe in giving young people space to learn, even if it means they fall and rise again,” she stated.

Call for peaceful elections

With the presidential election set for October 12, 2025, the Cameroon Front president urged the public not to be misled by conventional political campaigns. 

She advised citizens to stay in their respective parties, but to vote based on the concerns of the people. Kambiwa also spoke about the need for peace, stating that women, as vectors of peace, have a responsibility to reject disorder and encourage unity.

She appealed to voters to collect their voter cards and go to the polls. According to her, collective action is necessary to change Cameroon for the better. 

“The presidential election is always a sensitive moment…together we can change Cameroon,” Kambiwa underscored.

In her closing remarks, Kambiwa emphasised the party’s readiness for the electoral season.

“Cameroon Front is not here to accompany others. We are here to take power. We are determined to build a Cameroon where every citizen, man or woman, young or old, finds their place,” she noted.

Word from political allies

Among those addressing the congress was the president of the Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU, Tomaïno Ndam Njoya, who praised Cameroon Front’s organisation and highlighted their shared history of cooperation.

She recalled the joint memorandum presented by women’s groups in 2004, which called on presidential candidates to commit to concrete measures on gender equality.

“At that time, we stood together to defend the rights of women and to remind the nation that no democracy can advance if half of its population is left aside,” Tomaïno said, adding that Cameroon Front’s congress was a continuation of that struggle.

“Today, I see in this gathering the same determination, the same will to move Cameroon forward. The fight for justice, for democracy, and for the full participation of women. It is our collective responsibility to ensure those demands are finally met,” the CDU president continued.

She further underlined that cooperation among democratic forces remains crucial ahead of the 2025 presidential election.

“We cannot act in isolation. It is by working together, respecting differences but uniting around shared values, that we can secure a peaceful and credible electoral process,” Tomaïno concluded.

About Cameroon Front

Cameroon Front was founded in 1994, but experienced long periods of inactivity due to leadership constraints and the health challenges of its founder, Bernard Nya Tankeu.

In November 2023, at its fourth congress, Chantal Kambiwa was elected National President, marking a new phase of reorganisation. The Ministry of Territorial Administration confirmed her leadership in June 2024. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3545 of Tuesday August 26, 2025