Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Arnaud Nicolas MAWEL
Published on 2024-04-12 12:23:36
Militants of the Union of the Populations of Cameroon divided into several factions are struggling to unite in preparation for the upcoming presidential election.
The leaders of the factions of the Union of the Populations of Cameroon, a party created on April 10, 1948 in Douala, are seeking ways to come together for the upcoming elections. As the 2025 elections approach, some, under the leadership of Henriette Ekwe, are holding meetings with the aim of uniting forces to make an impact during the electoral processes. However, at the third meeting held on the first weekend of April 2024, the leaders have not yet reached an agreement.
Key figures such as Henriette Ekwe, Jean Bahebeck, Pierre Baleguel Nkot, and many others are open to discussions on pooling their efforts. On the other hand, Robert Bapooh Lipod, who is considered a supporter of the Yaoundé regime, and the actors of Manidem are not willing to participate in the discussions. Despite this resistance, the first group is meeting and trying to define the modalities of a winning synergy for the 2025 presidential election.
In this perspective, the recent meeting in Douala focused on presenting the options available to the various currents within the UPC for the presidential election. These options include finding a single candidate to carry the UPC’s chances, supporting one of the emerging opposition party coalitions, or even supporting the candidate of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Rally, the ruling party. At the end of the meeting, the participants did not make a decision. The next meeting scheduled for September 2024 in Edéa will be an opportunity to make a decision on the matter.
On April 10, 2024, the original UPC founded by 12 pioneers in 1948 turned 76 years old. The party, created for the independence and reunification of Cameroon, is struggling to regain its solid foundation after its dissolution by the system followed by multiple internal crises and divisions upon its revival. Some current leaders or figures of the party have the ambition to piece together the fragments despite the resistance. As negotiations take place in preparation for the February and October 2025 elections, the wind of consolidation blows within the factions of the political party.
Read the original article(French) on Journal du Cameroun
