Cameroon 2025: Maurice Kamto seeks to vie on a different political outlook

In a dramatic turn of events ahead of Cameroon's 2025 presidential election, opposition leader Maurice Kamto seeks to vie for the top seat on a different political outfit.

Kamto, a professor of public law and head of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), had long been expected to run for office. However, his campaign hit turbulence on July 16 when Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji suggested Kamto's candidacy could be rejected during a high-level meeting with regional governors. The minister's warning added fuel to speculation of political interference, raising concerns about electoral fairness.

But Kamto has defied the pressure. On July 15, he officially filed his candidacy at a police station in Yaoundé, in accordance with Article 123 of Cameroon's electoral code. What's more surprising: Kamto will not represent the MRC, his longtime political vehicle. Instead, he is now the official candidate of MANIDEM—the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy—within the opposition coalition, Alliance Politique pour le Changement (APC).

MANIDEM's leader, Anicet Ekane, first hinted at the announcement and later confirmed it through leaked documents and legal filings. A statement from Kamto's lawyer also affirmed that the final documents will be submitted to the electoral body, Elecam, on Friday, July 18.

This shift marks a bold strategy in Cameroon's evolving opposition landscape. MANIDEM, a splinter group from the historic UPC, is now positioning itself at the heart of the 2025 race. Kamto's surprise endorsement could re-energize the opposition and test the ruling party's grip ahead of the October polls.

But questions remain: Will Elecam validate his candidacy? And will Kamto's break from the MRC strengthen or splinter his base? The countdown to a high-stakes election is officially on.