As campaigns heat up ahead of Cameroon’s 12 October presidential election, rallies are drawing crowds and slogans are filling the airwaves. Yet beneath the spectacle, voters are still left wondering: on the most urgent national questions, are candidates offering solutions or skirting around the issues?
At 92, Paul Biya’s age and health are on everyone’s lips except on the official campaign platforms. Former Prime Minister Yang Philemon, speaking in Bamenda during the ruling CPDM launch, dismissed concerns about age as irrelevant, praising Biya’s record instead. But none of the opposition candidates has articulated a concrete vision of succession planning or constitutional safeguards should a leadership vacuum emerge.
Several candidates have floated reforms. Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya of the UDC pledged a two-round system, shorter presidential terms and a Court of Auditors. Cabral Libii speaks of “credible change” with promises of new rules to ensure fairness. Yet none has presented a detailed framework for transforming ELECAM or the Constitutional Council, institutions widely criticised as partisan.
All candidates evoke peace, but specifics are thin. Bello Bouba Maigari has promised an inclusive dialogue within six months of taking office, with possible amnesty for actors willing to work towards unity. Hon. Joshua Osih talk of ending violence in 100days and handling issues from the roots politically much later. Akere Muna, before withdrawing, also insisted on a national conversation and a transitional government. But beyond broad pledges, there is little clarity on how resources, justice, and reconciliation would be managed in practice.
Dr Jacques Bouhga Hagbe of the MCNC emphasised economic renewal and anti-corruption measures, drawing on his IMF background. Cabral Libii’s “orange wave” rallies hammer home promises of jobs and industrialisation. Yet across the field, detailed costings and funding strategies are missing. Libii mentions a few income sources including cutting down on government ministries and expenditure but few explain how debt will be managed, how oil revenues will be used transparently, or how to balance service delivery with investment.
While opposition figures complain of imbalance, none has advanced a policy to guarantee fair media access in future elections. CPDM events dominate state television, front pages and billboards. Other candidates, such as Joshua Osih of the SDF, Cabral Libii, Issa Tchiroma Bakary have relied heavily on social media and local radio. But media reform which is crucial for electoral fairness is one of the least discussed themes of this campaign.
Cabral Libii leans on his youth to appeal to younger voters, promising that the “orange generation” will take charge. Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya also speaks of inclusion. Osih Joshua talks of employment indicating that unemployment is a national security concern, but concrete plans to integrate young people into governance, decision-making or party structures remain limited.
Asset declarations and anti-corruption drives surface in speeches: Ndam Njoya promised to apply Article 66 of the Constitution; Akere Muna repeatedly denounced the manipulation of CONAC reports. Yet candidates have not explained how they would safeguard the independence of anti-corruption bodies or prevent politicisation.
While promises of jobs, better governance and electoral reforms have dominated campaign speeches, major issues like climate change have been conspicuously absent. Cameroon faces recurring floods in the Far North, shrinking Lake Chad, and deforestation in the South and East. Yet, no candidate has outlined a coherent climate strategy, nor proposed how to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability.
On foreign policy, the silence is even louder. Beyond vague references to sovereignty and independence, candidates have offered little on Cameroon’s role in Central Africa, its strained ties with Nigeria, or its participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). With regional insecurity from Boko Haram to coups in neighbouring countries, Cameroon’s next president will have to define a stronger, clearer diplomatic posture.
In education, speeches have celebrated youth empowerment, but with scant detail on how to tackle crumbling infrastructure, teacher strikes, poor learning outcomes, and the digital divide between rural and urban schools. The promises of “better opportunities” risk sounding hollow without serious commitments to reform funding and policy.
On healthcare, lessons from COVID-19 have faded into the background. The fragile health system, underfunded hospitals, and persistent shortages of doctors and nurses remain largely unaddressed. None of the leading candidates have put forward a detailed plan for universal healthcare access, leaving one of the population’s most pressing concerns without clear answers.
With campaign songs echoing in cities and banners flooding squares, citizens are energised but still searching for clarity. A few candidates have dared to raise reformist proposals, but most stop short of detail. For voters, the real challenge is to push every aspirant beyond slogans, and to demand concrete answers on what matters most: peace, reform, accountability, and the economy.
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By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Online
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
Tel: 6 94 71 85 77
Bakah Derick is an award-winning Cameroonian journalist and mediapreneur, serving as Vice President in charge of International Relations at the Cameroon Journalists’ Trade Union and leading Hilltopvoices Communications Group Ltd to amplify community voices and governance issues. With nearly 20 years in the field, his impactful reporting spanning human rights, environmental protection, inclusive development, and sports has earned him prestigious honours such as the 2024 VIIMMA Humanitarian Reporter of the Year and more. Email: debakah2004@gmail.com Tel: +237 675 460 750
Good accompanying messages for following up election campaigns.
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