By Boris Esono Nwenfor
For many, activism is a choice. For Edith Kah Walla, it was a birthright. Edith Kahbang Walla, widely known as Kah Walla, is a Cameroonian politician, entrepreneur, and unwavering human rights defender whose life story is deeply intertwined with activism. Born into a family of civic-minded parents who were part of Cameroon’s independence generation, Kah Walla grew up believing that true success was not just personal advancement but national contribution.
Her father, a believer in African solutions to African problems, and her mother, a feminist, imbued in her the values of courage, responsibility, and social justice. That early exposure laid the foundation for a lifelong journey of advocacy that would eventually evolve into political engagement.
As the leader of the Cameroon People’s Party (CPP), Kah Walla has become one of the most outspoken political voices in Cameroon. She has withstood arrests, beatings, and intimidation for her work, yet remains undeterred.
Though activism came naturally, politics did not. “My parents warned against political parties—they saw them as violent, dirty,” she recalls. “It took me years of personal reckoning to understand that while activism helps a village; only politics can bring change on a national scale.”
The politician, entrepreneur, and rights advocate sat down with Pan African Visions for an in-depth conversation about her journey from childhood activism to political leadership, the challenges of standing for justice in a repressive environment, and her unwavering belief in the power of the Cameroonian people.
Grassroots Impact, National Lessons
Kah Walla’s work has always begun at the grassroots level, notably in her neighbourhood of Bali, Douala—a community made up largely of Douala, Ewondo, and Basa peoples. “We trained youth on entrepreneurship and worked to keep the neighbourhood clean. We even won the city prize for cleanliness one year,” she says, beaming with pride.
When she entered politics, she did so not in her village of origin, but in Bali, where her day-to-day work had earned her trust and support. “People told me, ‘Go to Bali (North West), that’s where you’re from.’ But I said no—these are the people I live and work with. And they elected me.”
Through her consulting firm, Kah Walla has contributed to development projects across eight of Cameroon’s ten regions—from water catchments in Kumbo to tourism planning in Botmakak. Her message? When citizens are given a transparent process and real participation, “no one asks whether you’re Anglophone or Francophone. People unite to solve their problems.”
The Rights Crusade
Kah Walla’s humanitarian and advocacy work centres on one unshakable pillar: rights. Whether working with market women, fishermen, or displaced persons from the Anglophone regions, she emphasizes that “rights are the foundation of a just society.”
She speaks passionately about the years-long work advocating for the rights of citizens in the conflict-ridden South West and North West and regions. “Even when people disagree with my methods—say I’m too aggressive—they respect that I stand for what is right.”
And for her, defending rights isn’t charity. “It’s self-preservation. If your neighbour’s rights are violated today, yours are next.” Her fight for rights has extended beyond political borders. “We’ve defended the rights of people we completely disagree with. Because rights are not about liking someone, they’re about building a society where everyone is protected.”
Fighting for Rights is not a Bed of Roses.
“I have a long list,” Walla says calmly. “I’ve been arrested more times than I can count. I’ve been water-hosed, beaten, and even kidnapped by my government.” These are not just distant memories. They are scars she carries proudly, testimonies to her unflinching fight for human rights in Cameroon.
She recounted a moment when one of her grandchildren saw a video of her being water-hosed during a protest. The child asked, “Grandma, is this not you? Why were they throwing all of this water on you?”
Explaining that incident, Walla said it was one of the most defining moments of her political life. “Under that water in 2011, I became fearless. I realized that instead of engaging in dialogue, the government had chosen brute force. And that is the action of the weak.”
Beyond family, societal backlash often comes from unexpected places. “People who complain with you about the system will turn on you when you try to change it,” she notes. “It’s because they’ve made compromises, and your action challenges that.”
Even within her professional circles, she was told her political activism would ruin her business. But she kept going, buoyed by a deeper sense of purpose. “We’re all trying to survive in this dysfunctional country. But someone has to stand up.”
Despite the challenges, Kah Walla remains deeply optimistic. “Cameroonians are capable. I’ve seen it across the country. If you provide the framework—transparency, participation, accountability—people rise.”
Need for Systemic Change before Elections
Ahead of the October presidential election, Kah Walla called for deep electoral reforms in Cameroon, arguing that without these, the country risks repeating a cycle of illegitimate elections that fail to reflect the will of its people.
The president of the Cameroon People’s Party (CPP) and founder of the citizens’ movement Stand Up for Cameroon challenged the very foundation of the country’s current electoral process, especially its use of biometric registration. “If the system has our biometrics, what is the reason other than fraud?” she asked. “That machine should be able to identify you as a voter and then you go in and vote. Why then are we still voting manually, with ink?”
She highlighted ELECAM’s failure to publish the electoral list, calling it “illegal and unacceptable.” Even more worrying is the appointment of CPDM loyalists to key electoral positions. “How can someone resign from the ruling party one day and be appointed to ELECAM the next? Over 80% of ELECAM members have the same profile. It’s a complete conflict of interest.”
Walla also criticized the contradiction of biometric registration followed by manual voting. “If we register biometrically with fingerprints, why are we still voting manually? It’s a shame.” “I Want to See a Free Cameroon in My Lifetime”
Turning 60 recently, Walla says her hope is not just for future generations, but for herself. “I don’t have many years left. I want to see a free Cameroon in my lifetime.” She believes that the dream is still possible—if citizens rise in numbers, demand their rights, and recognize the true power they hold.
For Kah Walla, the path forward is not simply about choosing a candidate—it is about changing the rules of the game. “We must have a transparent electoral register. We must have a biometric voting system. We must reduce the voting age to 18,” she said, noting the irony that Cameroonians can be conscripted to die for their country at 18 but can only vote at 21. “If you’re mature enough to die for the country, then you’re mature enough to vote for it.”
The Crackdown on NGOs
Walla is alarmed by the government’s recent crackdown on civil society organizations, calling it “terrible” and “a test run” for worse to come.
“When they came for Reach Out and REDHAC earlier this year, they hadn’t done anything wrong. It was a test—to see if Cameroonians would react. We didn’t respond in large enough numbers, and so the government went further.”
She said the government’s new finance regulations targeting NGOs are illegal and aimed at silencing dissent ahead of the 2025 elections. “NGOs help young people, women, and marginalized communities find their voice. They build schools, create jobs, and offer skills training. Shutting them down is an attack on the fabric of progress.”
For Edith Kah Walla, the battle is bigger than any single party or candidate. “Today, they may come for an NGO. Tomorrow, it’s a political party. If Cameroonians don’t unite across lines to defend rights, we will be squashed one by one.”
She emphasized that all citizens must act—not just speak—in the face of injustice. “It’s not enough to complain in your neighbourhood. We must stand, act, speak out on social media, and support each other across political lines.”
Coalition for Reform, Not Candidates
Addressing the frequent calls for a united opposition candidate, Kah Walla emphasized that the opposition’s priority should be a coalition for electoral reform, not for endorsing a single candidate. “There is no point in having a candidate if the election is not minimally fair. We are just going for a stroll,” she said.
She proposed that all opposition parties should unite behind clear and urgent demands—chief among them a two-round presidential election system, which she said would encourage unity and fairness. “This is what almost every country in Africa has today and why not Cameroon?”
She also cautioned against simplifying the idea of political coalitions, revealing that even at the municipal level in 2013, efforts to work together were fraught with ideological and cultural clashes. “We are different political parties. We stand for different things. And most importantly, our militants join us for different reasons,” she explained. “People think it is just ego. It is not.”
Hope in a Difficult Struggle
Despite the weight of the challenges ahead, Kah Walla remains optimistic. “I am naturally optimistic,” she said with a smile. “We were given a gift called life. My question each day is: What did I do with the circumstances I was given?”
What gives her hope? – The energy and intelligence of Cameroonian youth. “You give a young person a job and a little income, and you see their potential shine,” she said, referencing the enthusiasm of young activists and workers she meets across the country.
Asked to describe herself in one word, Kah Walla didn’t hesitate: Committed. “When you are committed, you go and find the knowledge you need. You act. Action is the only thing that can produce results,” she declared. “Our national fight is a building block. But our ultimate success will be in Africa. For that, we must build countries that work.”
