During the May 20 celebrations in Buea, the headquarters of Cameroon’s Southwest region, political parties hired secondary school students to march. At Independence Square, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the National Salvation Front Party, and the Union Population of Cameroun (UPC) included students among their militants.
This practice, though not new, garnered significant attention. Observers noted that while students wore the fabric of various parties, they retained their school trousers, making it evident they were still in their school uniforms.
The Social Democratic Front mobilized an impressive crowd, the largest since the onset of the Anglophone crisis. According to SDF Buea District Chairperson, Efokoa John Mofoke, this turnout was part of a strategy to rejuvenate the party across all its wards in Buea. Mofoke encouraged the militants to translate these numbers into votes and take decisive action, aiming to reclaim the Council and two parliamentary seats.
Despite the SDF’s strong presence, the CPDM attracted even larger crowds, including groups from YCPDM and WCPDM, among others. However, a noticeable contingent within the CPDM march seemed to come from outside the Buea Municipality. After the march, these men, all with shaved heads and similar builds, were seen waiting near the Franco-American Alliance, appearing to await their bus. Their leader was heard giving commands in French, raising questions about their origins and whether they were from Buea.
The participation of students in these political marches is problematic given that the legal voting age in Cameroon is 20. As noted, “Though the march past of political parties saw the infiltration of students, it is shameful that students can’t vote in elections because the voting age in the country is 20. But below 20, they can march for a political party, get married, and serve in the military.”
