Presidential aspirant and leader of the Mouvement Patriotique pour un Cameroun Nouveau (MPCN), Shewa David Jestel, has pledged to dissolve the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) if elected president in the October 2025 election.
During a recent press conference in Yaounde, Jestel criticized the politicization of FECAFOOT, stating, “We are unable to win football matches because of politics.” He added, “To fix this, I will dissolve FECAFOOT and institutionalize a new law governing this noble structure.”
Jestel promised that, under his leadership, player selection would be merit-based, and FECAFOOT would operate independently with financial autonomy.
He accused President Paul Biya’s government of causing frustration among Cameroon’s youth, emphasizing that “football is the thing for young people in Cameroon” but is undermined by issues within the football body.
He further declared, “There are two things: either you remain apolitical and be the president of Fecafoot, or you officially join the political field and resign as president of Fecafoot,” without naming specific individuals.
Economic and Social Reforms
Beyond football, Jestel’s manifesto includes increasing civil servants’ salaries by 150,000 CFA francs.
He also vowed to tackle corruption, stating that anyone convicted of embezzlement “must pay 40 percent of the stolen money back and the rest in instalments while serving the sentence.”
On healthcare, Jestel proposed free health insurance for all Cameroonians by reallocating ministerial budgets.
“Each Cameroonian must pay a sum of 10,000 francs into the government treasury, and consultation and treatment will be free,” he explained.
Jestel also addressed the media, promising to ensure journalists receive a minimum starting salary of 175,000 CFA francs to enhance productivity and competitiveness in the private sector.
Addressing the Anglophone Crisis
Jestel outlined ambitious plans to resolve the Anglophone Crisis and promote national unity.
“I will release all separatist leaders and everyone who has been arrested and imprisoned in accordance with the Anglophone Crisis. They will be part of the federal government,” he said.
He proposed a federal system with Cameroon divided into two states: English-speaking regions with five sub-federated states and French-speaking regions with 12. The structure would include two federal parliaments and one national federal parliament.
Jestel also suggested adding two stars to the national flag to symbolize unity.
Additionally, he advocated for a five-year presidential term, renewable once, alternating between Anglophones and Francophones, with a rotating presidency across Cameroon’s regions.
His administration would feature two prime ministers: “Where the first Prime Minister would be the Head of Government and the vice president of the Federal Republic of Cameroon; the second Prime Minister would be responsible for monitoring, verifying, and confirming the execution of all investment projects throughout the national territory.”
Jestel also plans to dissolve the Senate and expand the National Assembly from 180 to 360 seats to enhance representation.
Shewa Jestel is among 82 candidates who have submitted their files to Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) for the October 2025 presidential race, hoping to qualify for the final list of eligible candidates.
