On the evening of July 20, 2023, Richard Tamfu Esq (photo) declared his candidacy for the post of president of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC). "I am honored and pleased to announce my candidacy for national president of the MRC in [the election to be held] at the 3rd Ordinary Convention scheduled for December 2023," the lawyer wrote on his Facebook page.

To justify his decision, he explains that the party is “endangered” and is no longer democratic (a reference to the exclusion of former party member Michèle Ndoki on July 13, 2023). "We must assume our responsibilities", "rather than allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by fear and discouragement". "The Cameroon Renaissance Movement must once again become the symbol of hope for change for Cameroonians from all walks of life, the powerful machine that raised the crowds and shook the regime in 2018," writes the lawyer.

As provided for in the party's texts, the next president will be elected next December at the MRC's third ordinary convention. Richard Tamfu is currently the only declared candidate. Maurice Kamto, the outgoing president, has not yet indicated whether he intends to stand for another five-year term. But many militants are confident that he will run again. Many MRC members think that Richard Tamfu is a substitute candidate to pursue Michèle Ndoki's plan to take over the party... But nothing is really certain.

Complaints

Richard Tamfu is not a random name in Cameroon.  He first came to public attention in 2018 when he defended journalist Mimi Mefo, who was prosecuted for "spreading false news" after a tweet blaming the Cameroonian military for the death of an American missionary. His political commitment also attracted so much attention that he joined MRC’s executive board alongside the outgoing president, Maurice Kamto. 

This year, his relationship with the party president deteriorated and he was excluded from the party’s board last June. A complaint was even lodged against him with the National Mediation and Arbitration Committee (CNMA). At a press conference in Yaoundé last June 22, Richard Tamfu indicated that he was being accused of having anti-party activity because he supported Michèle Ndoki’s bid to replace Maurice Kamto as MRC president. 

Let’s note that Michèle Ndoki, the former first national vice-president of the MRC women's movement, has failed to go through with her project to run for the presidency of the MRC.  Last week, she was expelled from the party. "The definitive exclusion of Michèle Ndoki from the Cameroon Renaissance Movement is a very bad decision. We have just confirmed that Mr. Paul Biya is much better than Prof. Maurice Kamto," wrote Richard Tamfu on his Facebook page.

Michel Ange Nga