On Friday 8 August 2025, veteran politician Bello Bouba Maigari, former Prime Minister and leader of the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), laid out a sweeping agenda as he competes for space in the upcoming 12 October presidential election. Addressing the press, the 78-year-old declared ambitions reaching from constitutional reform to national reconciliation and economic revival.
Among his most symbolic proposals, Bouba Maigari pledged to repatriate the remains of Ahmadou Ahidjo, Cameroon’s first president, currently buried in Dakar. The act, he said, would serve as a gesture of national healing.
On governance, he called for a constitutional revision introducing a five-year presidential term, renewable only once, to be elected in a two-round system. He also promoted a referendum on the state structure, and promised to overhaul the electoral code to enhance transparency.
Other pillars of his programme include safeguarding individual and collective freedoms, job creation, modernising infrastructure, and embarking on economic reconstruction through an ambitious plan labelled “Marshall Camerounais,” estimated at 60 trillion CFA francs, largely funded by domestic resources.
Bello Bouba’s declaration punctuates a marked shift in Cameroon’s political landscape. He formally abandoned a long-standing alliance with President Paul Biya, a dramatic move confirmed in June during an extraordinary UNDP central committee meeting.
Hours later, he hosted key opposition leadersincluding figures from the MRC and SDF at his residence, fuelling speculation that a broad opposition coalition may be in the works.
Having launched his candidacy at 76 after decades serving under multiple administrations, including as Prime Minister in the early 1980s, Bello Bouba brings unmatched political experience and a deep understanding of the government. Yet his entry stirs debate: can he galvanise genuine transformation or is this another strategic reshuffle?
In framing his campaign, Bouba Maigari presented a vision that departs sharply from the status quo emphasising institutional refoundation, democratic reform, and national reconciliation. His message which clearly indicates that Cameroon stands at a crossroads between continuity, cosmetic change, and deeper renewal.
As campaigning heats up, his proposals invite both scrutiny and hope, particularly among voters seeking a credible alternative. With the final candidate list due by mid-August, his stance may become a rallying point or be overtaken by a surge of opposition alignment.
By Hilltopvoices Newsroom
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