EDITORIAL: Kicking Kamto, MANIDEM Out Doesn’t Make the CPDM Look Good

An election win is only credible when the playing field is level and every contender gets a fair shot at the prize: The Unity Palace in this case. For ELECAM to use its obvious proximity to Biya in order to throw out Maurice Kamto’s bid, is a shameful mockery of the very institution of transparency which ELECAM is supposed to represent.
As a news organization, CNA is apolitical, endorses no candidate and benefits nothing from any of them including both the sitting President of the Republic, Kamto or any of the other eleven candidates on the list. However, looking at the list, it is clear that Biya is the most recognizable name, given his obvious lifelong rule. It seems that ELECAM, for reasons best known to them, did their best to throw out Kamto’s file in order to ensure that power remains cemented in Biya’s hands as he runs against much weaker rivals who are less-known newcomers or who have a name, but lack the charisma to beat him at the polls. ELECAM has provided no justification for why Kamto was deemed unfit to run. This is political dishonesty from ELECAM and Cameroonians have a right to know why Kamto’s file was dismissed, unless they want citizens to believe that we now live in a full-blown dictatorship. In times of national reckoning like this, the media can no longer be silent while the wool is pulled over the eyes of Cameroonians.
Kamto followed every rule and every law in place, but still had his file thrown out by ELECAM. Given the government’s fear and intimidation of Kamto from previous events, it is clear that the government is scared of Kamto. If not, why did they ban him from meeting with his supporters on June 8 in Douala? Kamto had arrived Douala on the night of June 7, with plans to have a meeting at the CRM Littoral regional headquarters on June 8, but the area where he resided was cordoned off and surrounded by heavily armed police, as well as the headquarters of the CRM. Kamto was forcefully escorted to Yaoundé the following day – the same June 8 he had planned to meet with his supporters. Authorities claimed that they interrupted the rally for “security reasons”.
Kamto had previously been placed under house arrest in 2018 after coming a close second to Paul Biya in the presidential election that year. He claimed victory that year but sparked the ire of Yaounde.
Today July 26, MANIDEM, the party under which Kamto had now decided to run after leaving the CRM – was barred from holding a press conference after Kamto’s name didn’t appear on the provisional electoral list released by ELECAM. What are authorities so scared of by stopping a party from holding a press conference? How does this make the powers that be to look in the eyes of Cameroonians and the international community?
With such political gimmicks coming from ELECAM, Cameroonians are bound to question what legitimacy will be there for whoever wins the election (and many Cameroonians can already suspect who the “winner” will be).
Any credible leader’s rule is only confirmed at the ballot, but for this to be true, the game has to be played fair and square, not by intimidation. Anything short of a fair and free election is a sham and waste of time.
The role of ELECAM is not to protect any candidate, no matter how long they have been in power, but to serve as an impartial referee ensuring that the democratic process is respected. The disqualification of strong challengers like Maurice Kamto, and the muzzling of parties like MANIDEM, betray the very spirit of democracy. ELECAM’s job is not to shield Paul Biya from political competition but to give Cameroonians the right to choose who governs them without fear, fraud, or manipulation.

If President Biya is truly the visionary and beloved leader that CRTV and state-aligned media claim him to be, then he should have no difficulty defeating Kamto or any other opponent in a transparent and competitive election. Leaders who are confident in their record welcome challengers and debates. They do not hide behind institutions or use them as weapons against dissent.
By acting as an extension of the ruling party instead of as an independent electoral body, ELECAM risks plunging Cameroon deeper into apathy, distrust, and political instability. The people are watching. The world is watching. And history will record these actions.
Cameroon deserves better. Its people deserve leaders chosen freely at the ballot box, not imposed through manipulation. The credibility of the 2025 elections hinges on ELECAM’s ability to demonstrate fairness, transparency, and courage — not cowardice disguised as procedure.