By Noela EBOB BISONG
Apparently after succumbing the shock of his candidature rejection for the 2025 Presidential election for three days, Prof. Maurice Kamto, leader of opposition party, MRC, in a two minute video, which circulated on August 8, has reassurred his followers and sympathisers that the struggle continues.
“My dear Cameroonians, I am on my feet, and will remain on your side, the struggle continues”, he said, insisting that, “I will not betray you and I have not betrayed you.”
Holding that his disqualification is a political crime against the Cameroonian people, the politician narrates that, “The decision to sideline me from the 2025 presidential election was made a long time ago by the CPDM regime. The regime has never tolerated the fact that we avoided the major political trap of the 2020 legislative and municipal elections by choosing to boycott them. The regime wanted to destroy the MRC through those elections and has never forgiven us for escaping that trap.”
According to Kamto, “From that point on, the campaign to demonise the MRC and its national president was launched and the decision to prevent the latter by all means from taking part in the 2025 pre-election was made.”
For the rejection of his 2025 presidential bid, Kamto tells Cameroonians, “The Constitutional Council, the Judiciary, ELECAM as well as the authorities in power, particularly through the Ministry of Territorial Administration which has been involved in every underhanded action against us has betrayed you without remorse.”
He equally indicts the international community, holding that “The United Nations which signed an agreement with ELECAM in May supposedly to guarantee the transparency of the 2025 presidential election, has betrayed you. The international community, so quick to stand alongside the dictatorship that crushes the Cameroonian people did not feel concerned by the political crime committed by the CPDM regime against our people.”
Recall, the submitted candidacy file of Kamto, under Manidem party was rejected by ELECAM, alongside 69 others last July 26. Kamto appealed to the Constitutional Council on July 28, and together with his defense team strongly defended his case at the council on August 4. However, the Constitutional Council rejected the appeal on August 5, citing the dual submission of candidacy files by Manidem party, under which Kamto had sought refuge.
Tongues continue to wag with regards to the geniuneness of the rejection, while some have gone past that level, now urging the opposition strong man to endorse any of the sustained opposition candidates for the election.