— Pr. Jimmy YAB, President of the MLDC
As President of the Mouvement pour la Libération et le Développement du Cameroun (MLDC), I wish to publicly commend the remarkable political maturity of Professor Maurice KAMTO, President of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), in response to the events that unfolded this Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Douala.
Barred from accessing his own party headquarters in Deido, under a tense and unjustified administrative blockade, Professor Kamto chose peace, restraint, and republican dignity. He instructed his supporters to remain calm, disciplined, and to return home peacefully at 4:00 p.m., rejecting confrontation.
This act of leadership, in a moment that could have spiraled into chaos, deserves respect and recognition. It confirms that politics, when truly serving the people, must always be guided by republican principles.
I also commend the law enforcement forces, who, in their majority, demonstrated professional restraint. They showed that it is possible to ensure public order without resorting to violence. Such institutional civility must be reinforced and encouraged.
However, beyond these sincere congratulations, we must express our deep democratic concern.
🔴 The decision to bar Maurice KAMTO from accessing his own office and meeting peacefully with his supporters represents a serious violation of fundamental freedoms:
Freedom of assembly, protected by Article 20 of the Constitution, Freedom of movement, protected under Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, And the supremacy of international treaties over domestic law, enshrined in Article 45 of the Constitution.
No real threat to public order could justify such a decision. The ban was politically disproportionate and legally baseless.
Yet, it was President Paul Biya himself, the architect of Cameroon’s democratic transition, who declared in his October 11, 1991 address to the nation:
“The return to multiparty politics represents a decisive step toward the consolidation of democracy in our country.”
What remains of this progress if, more than 30 years later, an opposition leader is denied access to his office and prevented from calmly engaging with his followers?
The MLDC firmly reminds all that multiparty politics is not a privilege—it is a constitutional right. The political arena must not be dominated by fear or closed off through arbitrary decisions. Only through pluralism, legal equality, and respect for rights can a genuine republic be built.
We therefore call upon the Government of Cameroon to:
Immediately end all arbitrary restrictions against opposition parties; Strictly uphold the Constitution and international legal commitments; Ensure an open, peaceful, and fair democratic environment.
Because what happened to Maurice KAMTO on June 8, 2025, does not only concern him.
It concerns the rule of law, the legacy of multiparty democracy, and the moral authority of the State.
The MLDC will continue its struggle for a Republic of Law, an equitable Republic, and a sovereign Cameroon, through the vision of a Community-Based Developmental State that serves the people, not fear.
✊🏾 Long live the Republican spirit of Cameroon,
✊🏾 Long live true multiparty democracy,
✊🏾 Long live fundamental freedoms for all.
—
Prof. Jimmy YAB
President of the MLDC
Mouvement pour la Libération et le Développement du Cameroun
Professor of International Relations – Specialist in African Political Transitions
Jimmy Yab 