Barrister Tamfu Richard reacts after dismissal from MRC political party

Human Rights lawyer, Tamfu Richard Esq has reacted to the decision of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, (CRM) political party dismissing him as a militant.

The legal mind was sacked from the party Tuesday, August 1, 2023, alongside Armand Noutack.

Though the party says they were excluded for anti-party activities, Tamfu Esq believes the decision was politically motivated.

In an exclusive reaction in a chat with MMI, the rights advocate was categorical that his dismissal is not unconnected to a declaration he made to contest against Kamto Maurice, the incumbent party chairman in the upcoming elective convention.

“I take cognizance of the decision. It is however regrettable that in a political setup within a country, a political party will not allow its militants to have a contrary opinion,” Barrister Tamfu told MMI in a telephone call.

Regretting the lack of internal democracy in the party he said MRC failed a litmus test.

“The opportunity for a political party to show a sign of internal democracy did not allow me to do so following the declaration of my candidacy,” he regretted.

Holding strongly that he was excluded for daring to challenge Kamto Maurice for the party’s top job, he recalled that the same fate befell Barrister Ndoki Michele for making similar declarations.

“Before my exclusion, Ndoki Michele was dismissed from the party for making the same declarations,” he went on saying that such a decision, “confirms and corroborates the fact that internal democracy is not allowed. We are witnessing a kind of one-party thinking”

WHAT NEXT FOR BARRISTER TAMFU RICHARD?

When Ndoki Michele was dismissed from MRC on July 13, 2023, she immediately made a declaration of her intention to form a new political movement, known as the Movement of Cameroon Nation Builders.

With Barrister Tamfu also shown the door, many are wondering what step he will take.

The human rights lawyer has however told MMI that he will be out of active politics at the moment but remain a civil society voice that he has always been.

Wishing MRC well he said, “I will remain a civil society actor. I have no ambition of forming a political party or joining one for now”