What Becomes Of CPDM After Biya

• Looking at CPDM for the past decades, it appears the party has been built around Biya, who also incarnates the party.
• In the absence of Biya, CPDM might likely not survive, though it has been in power for over four decades.
• Biya has not been seen in public since September 8th
• His ministers have banned the media from commenting on Biya’s health

On September 1, 1966, major post-independent parties in Cameroon, including the Union Cameroonaise of Amadou Ahijou and the Kamerun National Democratic Party of John Ngu Foncha, came together, giving birth to the Cameroon National Union (CNU).

The CNU became the country’s lone party and existed till March 24, 1985, when it was renamed the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).
At this time, change had taken place in the leadership of the nation on November 6, 1982, following the resignation of President Amadou Ahijou.

With Paul Biya taking over the affairs of the nation and eventually becoming the chairman of the CPDM, things have not been the same.
The CPDM still existed as the lone party in the country until the late Ni John Fru Ndi, alongside others, nursed the courage and formed the Social Democratic Front (SDF) on May 26, 1990.

Following that wind of change that was blowing across Communist regimes, with many shifting from one-party systems to multipartism, Cameroon was not an exception.
That was established when Paul Biya instructed members of the CPDM to prepare for what later became known as the 1992 Presidential Elections.

CPDM narrowly survived the election.

 
The SDF has always claimed it was cheated out of victory in the 1992 presidential elections. 
However, the elections were a movement for the CPDM to go back to the drawing board. Since then, it has, through its “natural candidate and chairman, Paul Biya,” consolidated itself across the national territory.

Many strong people have come and gone, but the party remains standing tall, building on the pillar of Paul Biya as president of the Republic of Cameroon.
To some CPDM militants and sympathizers, the party is Paul Biya, and Paul Biya is the party.

Entering into alliances with others

 
After the 1992 elections, the CPDM later allied with other politicians, especially those from the northern part of the country.
This is evident as leaders of those political parties are in Biya’s government. The National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP) of Bello Bouba Maigari and the National Salvation Party of Issa Tchiroma Bakary are leaving examples.

Bello Bouba is currently the minister of tourism and leisure, while Tchiroma Bakary is the minister of employment and vocational training.
Aside from forming alliances, the party has been able to pull some militants of the strong SDF party across the carpet.

Biya Becomes CPDM Symbol

 
Some young militants of the CPDM party might not even know what the party symbol is. That is because, for decades now, the party has switched to the face of Paul Biya. 
Instead of the flames, the party’s fabrics always carry the image of President Paul Biya.

This makes it increasingly difficult for the party after President Paul Biya. Because it will make it difficult to move around with the party’s fabrics, it is carrying the face of someone else.

CPDM Achievements

 
Over the years, the CPDM has always confused government achievements with the achievements of its party.
Cameroon has seen a situation where many party militants refer to projects constructed with taxpayers’ money as CPDM projects. 

It could be because most ministers in government are from the party. And now, projects that they defend in parliament, they turn to project them as party projects.
Another contributing factor could be that the party hardly puts out a clear manifesto during elections, and once it is elected, it can do anything it never promised the people.

Natural Candidate

 
Over decades, CPDM has always prided itself on Biya as its chairman and natural candidate. That explains why the party does not hold any primaries ahead of any presidential elections. 

As a natural candidate, it means it is either Biya or nobody. 

If it happens the natural candidate is not, it becomes challenging for the CPDM to nurse another candidate.

The CPDM has never taken power. It is an inherited party with a different name, which was already established before Biya and others could assume leadership.
As it stands now, the event of death or inability to run for president can be a daunting task for a party to survive.

Mimi Mefo Info