Etoudi 2025: Women tick interest in Cameroon’s top job

By Nchendzengang Tatah

Standing tall in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) is Cameroon, which alone boasts of over 50% of CEMAC’s GDP and over 55% percent of its total population, as reported by the public business-news magazine, Business in Cameroon. Come October 12 this year, a presidential election is scheduled to be held to choose a leader for the CEMAC strongman, Cameroon.

Aspirants interested in challenging 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya, who is eying an eighth term, have since the convening of the electoral college made their intentions known by depositing their files at the elections regulatory agency, ELECAM. Amongst a deafening number of males are a couple of women who are new and old faces in the political landscape. By July 19, two more working days to the end of file reception, they included; Tomaino Ndam Njoya, Zeh Amvene Genevieve, Eliane Veronique Eboutou, Mbengono Zouame Epse Ndzie Ngomo Guyleine.

Tomaino Ndam Njoya is no new name on the national spectrum. She is currently the Mayor of Foumban under the ticket of the Cameroon Democratic Union, better known by its French acronym UDC. Tomaino is the wife of former Cameroon Minister of National Education, Adamou Ndam Njoya. She was born some 56 years ago in Yaounde and intends to challenge the odds to attain Cameroon’s top job in honour of her late husband.

Tomaino’s file was received by ELECAM as the second female aspirant after Zeh Amvene Genevieve whose name was enlisted for scrutiny on July 16 upon file deposition in Ebolowa as an Independent Candidate. Zeh is popularly known as “saviour” following her declaration in 2018 before the Constitutional Council in a move to convince them to accept her file for the pole that year, which was finally not retained.

Unlike Zeh, Eliane Veronique Eboutou is backed by the National Participation for Citizen Action in Cameroon abbreviated in French as PNACC. The party, which she is the founder and national president of, has neither an elected representative in parliament nor at Municipal and Regional Councils. Top on her agenda, if retained and elected, she says will be the creation of four more regions to add to the existing ten.

Mbengono Zouame intends to run as an independent candidate. She is a new name in the political space and likely the least popular amongst her female peers aiming for the presidential seat in Etoudi. Mbengono deposited her file on July 18 at the ELECAM Head Office in Yaounde.