By Hans Ngala
How time flies! It has been two years already since the passing of Cameroon’s firebrand and first post independence opposition leader John Fru Ndi. Fru Ndi is often regarded as the father of multiparty politics in Cameroon – a title which incumbent president Paul Biya sometimes arrogates to himself, but an examination of the facts shows that it was indeed Fru Ndi who defied President Biya in 1990, to launch the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in Bamenda. Fru Ndi had previously been a member of the lone party at the time ie the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).
After losing his run for the CPDM Mezam Constituency in the North West Province, Fru Ndi left the CPDM. After he launched the SDF, he was voted as its National Chairman at a meeting of the party in May 1992.
In October of 1992, he lost to Paul Biya by a very close margin and he along with Bello Bouba Maigari, another opposition leader, tried to have the Supreme Court overturn the results – unsuccessfully.
Over the years he would challenge Biya in various presidential elections, establishing himself as the country’s first and true opposition leader to be reckoned with. The SDF had an especially strong following in the NW and SW provinces but was also a national party with a strong presence across all the eight Francophone provinces of the country. Fru Ndi had done the unthinkable, challenging the legacies of both Ahidjo and Biya by creating an opposition party, breaking away from the one-party system that had come to exist in Cameroon since its independence.
Following his death on 12 June 2023 at the age of 81, the BBC’s Randy Joe Sa’ah aptly described him as “Cameroon’s brave champion of democracy”.
A strong advocate of a unified federal system, Fru Ndi strongly opposed the secession of Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions. In 2019, separatist fighters kidnapped him before later releasing him, accusing him of “betraying” their quest for an independent “Republic of Ambazonia”.
An astute statesman who knew how to get to the heart of his people, Fru Ndi often told the thousands of supporters who would come to his rallies that they should not vote for the “party of fire” (referring to the CPDM’s logo which features a huge flame) but that they should vote for the SDF because SDF meant “Suffer Don Finish” (meaning poverty was over) if the SDF won – a clear reference to the decades-long misrule of the CPDM party.
While there are now countless opposition parties (with some estimates putting the figures as high as in the hundreds), the SDF was the one party that President Biya’s party could really reckon with. However, there are now newcomers like the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party led by Maurice Kamto, a university professor and like Fru Ndi, a former member of Biya’s CPDM party.
Kamto’s party has swelled in the ranks, becoming more prominent as the SDF battles with its own issues under a new leader, Joshua Osih. Osih, an aviation expert.
Fru Ndi’s Enduring Legacy and Kamto’s Charismatic Rise in Cameroonian Politics
The story of modern Cameroonian politics cannot be told without the mention of John Fru Ndi, the late founder and longtime leader of the Social Democratic Front (SDF). His bold decision to defy the one-party system in 1990 and launch an opposition party in Bamenda marked a historic turning point for a country that had known only the rule of President Ahmadou Ahidjo and his successor, Paul Biya. Fru Ndi’s courage in the face of political suppression paved the way for the multiparty era that Cameroonians enjoy—albeit in an imperfect form—today.
Fru Ndi’s political relevance extended beyond electoral contests. He became the voice of the disenfranchised, using his platform to demand accountability and transparency. His advocacy for federalism—not secession—demonstrated his nuanced understanding of Cameroon’s deeply rooted linguistic and cultural divisions. Despite facing criticism from both the government and separatist elements, Fru Ndi remained steadfast in his belief that Cameroon’s unity could only be preserved through fairness and political inclusion.
But even trailblazers can become symbols of stagnation. In recent years, the SDF has struggled to maintain its relevance, especially as internal divisions and generational fatigue set in. Under the leadership of Joshua Osih, the party has yet to recapture the momentum it enjoyed under Fru Ndi’s charismatic command. It is in this context that Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), has emerged as a more compelling figure for many Cameroonians.
Kamto, a former Biya ally and legal scholar, has proven adept at mobilizing both the grassroots and intellectual elite. His calm demeanor, sharp oratory, and bold challenge of Biya in the disputed 2018 presidential election have endeared him to a younger, more digitally connected electorate. Unlike the aging SDF, the CRM appears agile and modern, tapping into the frustrations of a generation that sees little hope in the old political order.
Yet, Kamto walks a path cleared by Fru Ndi. The democratic space he now occupies—however restricted—was fought for and earned by Fru Ndi’s resilience. Without Fru Ndi’s early defiance, there would be no room for Kamto or any other meaningful opposition figure today. In this way, Fru Ndi remains not only the father of multiparty politics in Cameroon but also the catalyst for the rise of future political challengers.
As Cameroonians look to the future, they must remember the man who first dared to say no to dictatorship. Fru Ndi democratized Cameroonian politics. Kamto may be the face of the opposition today, but Fru Ndi was its soul.
