Centre Region: CPDM grassroots militants dump party for MRC

A Municipal Councillor and a Basic Committee President of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) in the Centre Region have dumped the party in favour of the leading opposition, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM).

Ndzana, a Municipal Councillor for Esse, in Mefou and Afamba Division, and Nnanga, President of the CPDM Basic Committee for Esse, crossed carpets during a CRM political rally in the Centre Region on Wednesday.

In their resignation speeches, the defecting politicians said they had lost trust in the CPDM leadership of Cameroon and that they believed the CRM could lead the country better.

“I have decided to resign from the CPDM because I am no longer satisfied with the direction the party is going in,” said Ndzana.

“The CPDM has failed to deliver on its promises to the Cameroonian people, and it is time for a change. I believe that the MRC is the best party to lead Cameroon forward, and I am proud to join them.”

His counterpart, Nnanga, made a similar remark, stating that he trusts the CRM party to “bring about positive change that Cameroon needs”.

The defection of these two CPDM officials is a blow to the party, especially in the Centre Region, where the party has its seat.

The CPDM Secretary General, Jean Nkuete, launched a tour to the permanent regional bureaus of the party last week to reawaken militants as part of early preparations for the 2025 elections.

Definitely, opposition parties like the CRM are also making underground moves to woo new members ahead of the 2025 contest.

Maurice Kamto’s CRM now stands as the largest opposition party in the country. It emerged second at the 2018 presidential polls where Paul Biya’s CPDM won.

Kamto claimed the victory was stolen from him to keep long-serving Biya in power.

Lately, the CRM has been stretching its tentacles from its traditional strongholds in the West and Litoral Regions to other parts of the country, including the Centre Region, where its biggest rival, the CPDM, has its highest fan base.

In May, Maurice Kamto pulled thousands of followers in Yaounde when he came out to install regional heads of the CRM.

He insisted on his stolen victory in 2018 and said Biya’s stay in power was long overdue. His party has continued to stand out among the hundreds of opposition parties in the country.