By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Cameroon’s oldest Member of Parliament, Hon. Laurentine Koa Mfegue Epse Mbede, has urged all election stakeholders to fulfil their roles to ensure the success of the 2025 presidential elections.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 legislative year’s first ordinary session on 11 March, Hon. Koa Mfegue, flanked by the two youngest MPs, Hon. Nafissatou Alim and Hon. Aïcha Blanche Dague, and National Assembly Secretary General André Noël Essian, expressed concern over the current political climate.
“The political atmosphere in our country has, for some time now, been in turmoil,” she said, indicating the growing intensity surrounding the upcoming poll.
Hon. Koa Mfegue called on politicians to “jockey for democratic power with wisdom, steadfastness, patriotism and in strict respect of the laws in force,” placing the nation’s interests above personal ambition. She warned against “wolfs in sheep’s clothing” fomenting trouble.
She stressed the need for a calm and serene election, urging those responsible for organising the vote to “organise the election as stipulated by law,” and those handling disputes to “settle such disputes according to the law.”
She called on those mobilising voters to encourage high turnout, and for religious leaders to “commit Cameroon to God and pray against the spirit of division.”
Media outlets and social media users were urged to report “with professionalism,” avoiding “manipulation, misinformation or bias.”
Hon. Koa Mfegue expressed her desire for a successful, dignified election, followed by national unity.
She also praised President Paul Biya for “bringing democracy to Cameroon,” citing his 1982 “New Deal Policy” focused on “democratisation, liberalisation and moralisation of public life.”
“Whether Cameroonians approve or disapprove, subscribe or do not subscribe to his ideals, objectivity warrants them to acknowledge… the same democracy Cameroonian pride themselves on… is credited to the incumbent, Paul Biya,” she said.
While acknowledging the country faces challenges, she maintained that “Paul Biya is the architect of our country’s democracy.”
She added, “When compared with nascent democratic practices elsewhere, Cameroon seems to be a model of democratic practice – a highly democratic country whose democracy revolves around equanimity, level headedness and wisdom,”
The first ordinary session will see the election of the National Assembly’s executive bureau, including the House Speaker, with the Provisional Bureau, led by Hon. Koa Mfegue, overseeing proceedings until then.
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