Editorial: Cameroon’s Opposition Disarray Strengthens CPDM, Leaving Ambazonia to Chart Its Own Path
15 September 2025
The opposition in Cameroon stands at a critical juncture, yet it remains hopelessly fractured. As political activist Mark Bareta recently declared in a widely shared post on platforms like Facebook and X, the opposition’s lack of trust and unity only serves to embolden the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). With its iron grip on state resources and a history of alleged electoral fraud, the CPDM thrives in the absence of a cohesive challenge. This disarray demands a sober reflection on the state of Cameroon’s political landscape and its implications for the ongoing struggle in Ambazonia.
Bareta’s statement lays bare a harsh reality: the opposition’s internal divisions are not merely a political inconvenience but a structural weakness that hands the CPDM an unchallenged path to perpetuate its dominance. The ruling party’s ability to control state machinery, coupled with accusations of widespread electoral manipulation, leaves little room for a fragmented opposition to mount a credible resistance. This is not just a failure of strategy—it is a betrayal of the democratic aspirations of Cameroonians who yearn for change.
For the people of Ambazonia—the North West and South West regions locked in a separatist struggle—this political chaos in Yaoundé carries profound consequences. Bareta’s call is clear: participating in Cameroon’s elections, whether in the North West or South West, does nothing but lend legitimacy to a flawed system. Voting, he argues, only reinforces Cameroon’s control over Ambazonia, entrenching a status quo that the separatist movement has fought to dismantle. Instead, Bareta urges Ambazonians to “STAY HOME” and focus on their own fight for self-determination, a message underscored by the announcement of “Part Two of the Lockdown” beginning today, 15 September 2025.
Could a united opposition in Cameroon change the calculus for Ambazonia’s Ground Forces? Perhaps. A strong, coordinated opposition might offer a glimmer of hope for dialogue or a shift in the political dynamics that could prompt Ambazonian leaders to reconsider their strategy. But as it stands, no such unity exists. The opposition’s infighting only deepens the resolve of those in Ambazonia who see their struggle as distinct from Cameroon’s broader political dysfunction.
This editorial does not endorse any single course of action but calls for clarity and purpose. Cameroon’s opposition must confront its divisions head-on if it hopes to challenge the CPDM’s stranglehold. For Ambazonians, the path forward lies in defining their struggle on their own terms, unencumbered by the failures of a system that has consistently marginalized them. As Bareta’s words echo across X and beyond, they serve as a stark reminder: in the face of disunity, the only way forward is to take control of one’s own destiny.
