Gregoire Owona Criticizes Kamto for not Condemning Dschang Protest

By Njodzeka Kernyuy

The Deputy Secretary General of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) central committee, Gregoire Owona, has critiqued opposition leader Maurice Kamto for not condemning recent violent protests in Dschang, West Region—Kamto’s area of origin.

This was after Maurice Kamto on Friday urged for the respect of the verdict of the ballot box while calling on Cameroonians to remain calm and patiently wait for official results of the 2025 presidential election.

While Kamto was worried that electoral fraud had created chaos which could further impact a country already facing two armed conflicts, Gregoire Owona instead was worried that Kamto didn’t criticize the riot in Dschang.

“Indeed, Mr. Kamto, the vote is now behind us. Each of us, as citizens, has exercised our right to vote, and we await, enthusiastically but calmly, the conclusion of the legal process in this matter.  Yes, we too monitor our vote and want to ensure that it is respected,” said Owona who is also Minister of Labor and Social security.

“Quite sincerely, I would have expected from the Associate Professor of Law that you are, a firm condemnation of the serious obstacles to the electoral process as well as the manipulations that led to the incidents in Douala and Dschang, quickly contained by the forces of law and order, whose republican role I salute,” added Gregoire Owona.

Maurice Kamto, who was president Biya’s main challenger in the 2018 election, was barred from participating in this year’s vote.

The main challenger in this year’s election, former Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary claimed victory on Tuesday, with widespread allegations of fraud sparking protests among his supporters in Garoua, Kousserie, Douala, Limbe and Dschang.

The Dschang protest was more violent, and led to the burning of the CPDM party house, as well as several municipal dump trucks.

While the violence has been quelled, the future remains uncertain as Cameroonians await the final result of last Sunday’s vote from the Constitutional Council.