A high-profile court case is set to begin this Thursday at the Mfoundi High Court, challenging the leadership of President Paul Biya and the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).
Léon Theiller Onana, a CPDM municipal councilor, has filed a motion claiming that President Biya and the party’s Political Bureau mandates have expired.
According to Onana, no Congress has been held after the 2011 Congress, and he is seeking the court’s intervention to convene an ordinary congress to elect a new national president within the CPDM. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 1:30 PM.
Onana seems to be the lone voice raising tensions within the CPDM, as most party members have openly backed President Biya’s candidacy despite his 43 years in power. If Onana wins this case, it could have significant implications for Cameroon’s political landscape, potentially paving the way for new leadership within the CPDM. However, sources within the CPDM say it will be difficult for Onana to win because Paul Biya adheres strictly to the law.
The case is expected to draw attention to the country’s electoral process, which has been criticized for lacking transparency and fairness. With presidential elections approaching in 2025, this case may also influence the country’s broader political trajectory.
The Mfoundi High Court will have to determine whether President Biya’s and the CPDM’s leadership mandates and have indeed expired and whether the court has the authority to intervene in the party’s internal affairs. The case is expected to be closely watched by political observers, party members, and the general public. Whether President Biya’s and the CPDM’s leadership mandates have indeed expired and whether the court has the authority to intervene in the party’s internal affairs. The case is expected to be closely watched by political observers, party members, and the general public.