The struggle for the survival of journalism in Cameroon has again taken centre stage in the country’s presidential campaign. On Thursday 18 September 2025, the Cameroon Journalists’ Trade Union (CJTU), known in French as the Syndicat National des Journalistes du Cameroun (SNJC), hosted barrister Akere Muna, candidate of the Univers Party, at its headquarters in Douala for its Café Présidentiel.
For 120 minutes, CJTU leaders laid out what they described as the “disastrous state” of the Cameroonian press. Their catalogue of grievances included the outdated 1990 media law, the absence of a professional press card for the past eight years, lack of legal guarantees for journalist safety, non-implementation of the 2008 collective labour agreement, and the continued absence of a national press house.
Akere Muna received the union’s memorandum documenting these challenges and expressed gratitude for what he called “an honest picture of a chaotic reality.” He did not mince words about what he sees as the government’s failure to respect the press.
“There cannot be strong institutions without a strong press and genuine press freedom,” he said.
The Univers candidate pledged to change the legal framework governing journalism if elected, placing dignity and respect for journalists at the heart of his proposals. As a concrete measure of support, he announced that the Muna Foundation will sign a partnership with the CJTU, allowing the union to use its auditorium in Yaoundé free of charge for future events.
The concerns raised by the CJTU are not new, but they are becoming more pressing. Laws written 25 to 35 years ago no longer reflect the realities of today’s media landscape. The lack of a valid press card has left many reporters working without official recognition, exposing them to harassment and exclusion. Safety is another growing worry, particularly for those reporting in conflict-affected regions, where journalists often face intimidation or physical threats.
The absence of a press house symbolises a wider problem. The profession’s marginalisation. Without a dedicated space for training, dialogue, and solidarity, the profession struggles to defend itself against economic precarity, censorship, and abuse.
This meeting with Akere Muna comes on the heels of similar encounters the CJTU has had with other presidential candidates. On 16 September, the union presented its demands to Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), who promised to integrate journalist safety and welfare into his programme. Two days later in Yaoundé, PAL candidate Ateki Seta Caxton committed to drafting a new access-to-information law and pledged to make press freedom a priority of his mandate.
Taken together, these engagements reflect a coordinated strategy by the journalists’ union to push their problems onto the national political agenda. Rather than being passive observers of the campaign, journalists are demanding to be recognised as partners in strengthening democracy.
If the commitments from candidates like Muna, Osih, and Ateki are carried forward into law and practice, the impact could be transformative. Journalists would gain stronger legal protections, better working conditions, and access to resources that would strengthen the independence of their reporting. For the public, this would mean more credible, professional, and timely news, a cornerstone of any functioning democracy.
For now, the promises remain on paper. But the growing willingness of candidates to engage directly with CJTU suggests that the profession’s voice is finally being heard where it matters most: at the heart of political decision-making.
📌 Key Takeaways – Journalists engagement with Presidential Candidates
1. Joshua Osih (SDF) – 16 September 2025, Bamenda
- Issues Raised: Agonising state of the press; non-implementation of 2008 collective labour agreement; absence of press protection law; poor working conditions.
- Response: Welcomed memorandum; promised to integrate proposals; pledged measures for journalist safety and welfare.
2. Ateki Seta Caxton (PAL) – 18 September 2025, Yaoundé
- Issues Raised: Outdated 1990 & 2000 media laws; insecurity of journalists; precarious work; unequal access to advertising; poor access to information.
- Response: Proposed new access-to-information law; pledged to prioritise press freedom; affirmed journalists as partners, not adversaries.
3. Akere Muna (Univers) – 18 September 2025, Douala
- Issues raised: Outdated 1990 law; no press card for 8 years; absence of journalist safety provisions; non-implementation of 2008 collective agreement; no national press house.
- Response: Vowed to change the legal framework; insisted dignity and respect for journalists must be restored; declared “no strong institutions without a strong press”; announced Muna Foundation partnership to host CJTU events free of charge in Yaoundé.
Why It matters:
- The Cameroon Journalists’ Trade Union (CJTU/SNJC) is placing journalists’ problems at the centre of the presidential campaign.
- Candidates are being pressed to commit to laws, safety guarantees, and better working conditions.
- If promises are kept, journalism could move from crisis to renewal, strengthening democracy and citizens’ right to reliable information.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
Tel: 6 94 71 85 77