The Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), Hon. Joshua Osih, has presented a political programme which he says will “rescue Cameroon” from decades of authoritarian rule, poverty, and conflict. Speaking at a press conference in Yaoundé this Tuesday, Joshua Osih framed the plan as a national contract built on democracy, social justice, sovereignty, and Pan-African solidarity, under the motto “Power to the People.”
The unveiling comes just weeks before Cameroonians head to the polls in what is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested elections since the return of multiparty politics. After 43 years of continuous rule by the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), the SDF is positioning itself as the principal alternative with a roadmap that promises immediate relief and long-term transformation.
Hon Osih pledged that, if elected, his government would act from the very first day to ease daily struggles faced by citizens. Among the immediate measures outlined are free national ID cards and birth certificates, free education through secondary school, free childbirth and healthcare for children under five, and the abolition of advance rents and ethnic references in official documents. He also promised to raise the minimum wage to 70,000 FCFA, with a gradual increase to 160,000 FCFA, and to grant amnesty to political detainees.
Within 100 days, the SDF candidate vowed to prioritise resolution of the North West and South West conflict. Proposals include releasing non-violent detainees, reviewing the cases of separatist leaders, and opening genuine dialogue on federalism and reconciliation. Emergency humanitarian assistance, reconstruction of key infrastructure such as the Ring Road, and revival of the Silicon Mountain tech ecosystem also feature prominently.
Hon Joshua Osih’s programme devotes a full year to a “catch-up plan” for the Grand North, tackling poverty, unemployment, and insecurity linked to Boko Haram. Projects include roads, railways, the Transaqua initiative to refill Lake Chad, solar power, irrigation, and tourism revival.
In his third year, Osih proposes a far-reaching institutional overhaul through a National Constitutional Conference, leading to a federal system with elected governors, a semi-parliamentary democracy, and stronger checks on executive power. The judiciary and electoral body ELECAM would be restructured to guarantee independence, while government would be slimmed down to 20 ministries.
Over a five-year mandate, Hon Osih envisions industrialisation, agro-industry growth, universal healthcare, and a knowledge-driven economy. Targets include three million jobs, six million people lifted out of poverty, and half a million new homes. He stressed anti-corruption reforms and fairer redistribution of national wealth as the cornerstone of social transformation.
On the global stage, SDF presidential candidate pledged to anchor Cameroon in Pan-Africanism, pursue membership in BRICS, support Palestine, and push for a reformed multilateral system free from colonial-era ties.
The SDF’s “Rescue Cameroon” echoes the party’s historic calls for federalism and democratic reform since the 1990s, but comes at a time when disillusionment with the ruling party is at its highest. In 2018, SDF representation dwindled and opposition parties accused state institutions of bias, leaving Cameroonians sceptical of fair competition.
By promising annual accountability reports to Parliament and a clean break from centralism and authoritarianism, Osih is betting that voters are ready for change. Whether the electorate shares his conviction will be tested at the ballot box in October.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom with reports
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