I had not planned any meetings or even a public gathering in Douala during my visit on 8 June 2025, but simply a meeting with party officials at its headquarters in Deido. Despite the unnecessary administrative and police obstacles put in place by the RDPC regime, you gave me a memorable welcome.
Through the impressive images broadcast on social media, in newspapers and on certain television channels, every objective observer was able to confirm, if confirmation were needed, how ready you, the People of Change, are to fight peacefully but determinedly for democratic change in our country in the upcoming presidential election.
You have shown courage, determination, discipline and respect towards the large number of security forces deployed. This does you credit, does credit to the People of Change, and clearly indicates that, despite the extreme nervousness of some of our compatriots who believe that the fear of losing power justifies plunging our country into insecurity, with a little willpower, the 2025 presidential election can pass without incident. All that is needed is for each body involved in organizing these elections, in particular ELECAM and the Constitutional Council, to play their role impartially, as required by law. I would like to congratulate you on this extraordinary demonstration of your vitality and desire for change, your peaceful but determined attitude, and your sense of discipline and republican fraternity towards the forces of law and order that you presented to the world on Sunday, 8 June 2025.
Yes, you have brilliantly demonstrated that just one week after the MK2025 rally on 31 May 2025, the People of Change could mobilize across the country, contrary to the lies of certain people seeking consolation after the historic success of the 31 May rally in Paris. Admittedly, this exceptional mobilization took place in a very tense climate, in a city of Douala in a state of de facto emergency. Nevertheless, I would like to commend the overall attitude of the law enforcement officials who, despite being manipulated by the authorities, were able to avoid incidents with unimaginable consequences for our country. I have been informed that many young motorcycle taxi drivers had their motorcycles, i.e. their livelihood, abusively confiscated, particularly during the night of 8 to 9 June 2025, on the unfounded grounds that they intended to escort me through the city of Douala; and that some law enforcement officers were demanding large sums of money from them in exchange for returning their motorcycles.
I hope that the competent authorities, particularly the heads of the law enforcement agencies, the police and the gendarmerie, will pay particular attention to these cries for help from these young compatriots who make their living solely from their work as motorcycle taxi drivers.
The upcoming presidential election could be a time of great tension, with those in power attempting to use the security forces to intimidate the population. I hope that despite the political pressure that will be exerted on them by those in power, they will serve the Constitution, the laws, the Republic and, ultimately, the Cameroonian people. I urge those of our compatriots in the interior and in the diaspora who have not yet registered on the ELECAM electoral rolls to do so now, as registration will close as soon as the electorate is convened. It is therefore only a matter of days. I urge those who are already registered to go and collect their voter cards and to invite their relatives and friends to do the same.
Together, at the ballot box and in peace, we will very soon achieve change through democratic alternation in our country.
Done at Yaoundé on 10 June 2025
Maurice KAMTO,
candidate in the 2025 presidential election.
