Great Soppo, Buea was shaken this Tuesday, December 22, 2025, as hundreds of people poured into the streets, blocking the main road at COGELCAM. They were angry. They were tired of being left in the dark. They shouted and chanted. They demanded action. They said they have lived without electricity for more than six months. They blamed the broken transformer that has never been fixed.
The crowd came from mainly Mekongi quarter in Great Soppo. The power cut has hit homes, traders, students and workers hard. Many said the situation has stopped business, made water delivery hard, and put daily life on hold. This is not an isolated problem in Cameroon. Similar protests over extended blackouts erupted in Mutengene last week before a transformer was finally installed after months without power.
Protesters told journalists they have called ENEO many times. They also reached out to local chiefs, council officials, and the administration. They said all calls, petitions and pleas have been ignored. One protest leader told BaretaNews they feel insulted and forgotten. He said, “They take us for fools. We have been in darkness since March. We keep writing and waiting, but nothing is happening. We think the only option now is to protest and call for the attention of those in authority.”
Traffic on the main road was blocked for hours. Vehicles could not move. Traders closed their shops. Passengers walked long distances to find alternative routes. The situation showed the deep frustration in the community.
Later, the Colonial Administrator of Buea, Abba Abdouraman, came to the scene. He spoke with the crowd and appealed for calm. He promised to work with ENEO and other authorities to restore electricity in Great Soppo before the end of the year. His presence helped calm the crowd. Slow but steady movement on the road resumed.
Residents say they want real action, not just promises. They want working transformers and a reliable plan to end repeated blackouts. They said long outages have hurt businesses, slowed daily life, and left families struggling to cope. The mood in Buea remains tense, but people say they will continue to demand their rights until the lights come back.
This protest adds to a growing chorus across Fako and the Southwest Region, where people have repeatedly voiced anger over poor electricity supply and slow responses from authorities and ENEO.
By Lucas Muma
