By Boris Esono Nwenfor
Venerated human rights lawyer and civil society leader Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor Balla has issued a clarion call to Cameroonians to prioritise voter registration as a first step towards democratic change, with Cameroon approaching the crucial 2025 presidential election. In an exclusive interview with Pan African Visions, the outspoken advocate shared a sobering yet hopeful outlook on the political landscape, outlining what is at stake and what must be done to transform the country.
“There isn’t one single pressing issue,” Barrister Agbor Balla began. “We’ve had 43 years where things haven’t worked. So Cameroonians must focus on a myriad of issues: good governance, youth unemployment, poor infrastructure, substandard education, and a failing telecommunication sector. All these are interconnected.”
Agbor Balla emphasised that meaningful change is possible if the right leaders are chosen. “I don’t have a crystal ball,” he said. “But if Cameroonians vote for the best candidate, one with a visionary manifesto who embraces the idea of a transitional government, we have the human potential to move forward. Cameroon is blessed with capable leaders. Unfortunately, we’ve been cursed with poor leadership.”
Among the urgent reforms he envisions is the amendment of the Cameroonian constitution to reflect the country’s historical and cultural realities. “We must revisit the form of the state,” he said. “We need to consider federalism, introduce the role of vice president, and possibly a rotational presidency. Decentralisation and the so-called ‘special status’ are cosmetic at best. Real devolution of power is needed.”
Barrister Balla, as Cameroon prepares for the 2025 presidential election, what do you see as the most pressing issues that voters should be concerned about?
Barrister Agbor Balla: There would not be one most important issue that Cameroonians should be preoccupied with because we’ve had 43 years where things have not worked. So there are a myriad of issues that Cameroonians should focus on. Good governance will be one of the things that Cameroonians should look at when they are going to vote, but also employment. The situation about youth who don’t have jobs, graduates, the quality of the educational system, and infrastructure is something that Cameroonians have to look into when they are looking at the manifestos of the various candidates.
So it will be hard to pick out one particular thing that Cameroonians would focus on. Ideally, someone would say good governance because when there is good governance, other things might fall in place, but I would like to break it down also. There’s good governance, the unemployment situation, the infrastructural situation, the telecommunication situation, also, because all of these things don’t operate in a vacuum. They don’t operate in isolation. So you need all of them to work in synergy for you to have a country that would reflect the human natural resources that Cameroon has.
Do you believe this election has the potential to bring about meaningful change, particularly in terms of governance, accountability, and national unity?
Barrister Agbor Balla: Well, I don’t have a crystal ball, that’s the first thing, but if Cameroonians vote for the best candidate who has a visionary manifesto, who addresses all these issues, including a transitional government. We have men and women of timber and calibre who are patriotic, who love this country, who are ready to work for the interests of this country.
We can’t just think that we are doomed not to emerge as a nation. We cannot think that we don’t have leaders. We have wonderful leaders in this country. Unfortunately, God has blessed us with bad leaders despite the riches of this country. Very optimistic that if we vote for the right candidate, Cameroon will see the light of day.
What key reforms would you like to see from any new or continuing administration after the elections?
Barrister Agbor Balla: I think the first thing would be the amendment of the constitution. There’s a need to amend the Cameroonian constitution to reflect the reality of the country, taking into consideration the historical, coming together, bi-cultural, bi-jural nature. There’s a need to look at the form of a state. It’s very important to look at the form of a state, meaning that from my perspective, there’s a need to have a federation.
There’s also the need to have a vice president, and if possible, a rotational presidency. Devolution of power should really be in the sense of the word, not the cosmetic devolution that we have under the guise of decentralisation or special status. So these are things that I look forward to in the new leadership. I look forward to a new president.
I look forward to a new Cameroon that all of us would build. A Cameroon that would be, the mantra would be about equality. Injustices would be a thing of the past, an egalitarian society where it’s not where you come from that matters. It’s not your tribe, it’s not your religion, it’s not your region, it’s not the language, but it’s your capacity and your ability to deliver. Your sense of patriotism would be the guiding key in terms of you having a job, in terms of you being part of nation-building.
Given the current political climate, do you believe conditions on the ground are conducive to a free, fair, and inclusive election?
Barrister Agbor Balla: Yes, they are. Why do I say they are? Because we need to have a very positive mindset. If we don’t have that kind of positive mindset, we are not going to go anywhere. The first thing is that people have to register before we talk about voting.
There’s imperfection in all the systems in the world, the US or France or the UK, there is imperfection. But we have to register, because if we don’t register, we will not be able to vote. And no matter the candidate we want to support, we will not be able to support the. So I look at registration first, when we get to the bridge, we’ll cross it. But I think the enabling environment will be conducive for a free and fair election.
The resignations and presidential bids of Issa Tchiroma and Bello Bouba Maigari mark a major political shift after decades of alliance with the ruling party. What is your reading of this development?
Barrister Agbor Balla: These resignations, they took me personally by ambush, because Tchiroma and Bello have been with the system for the longest. I think Bello has more than 20 years, and Tchiroma about 17 years. But I think it’s a step in the right direction. I’m not one of those who think that, because they have been in the system, their resignation means nothing. It means a lot. These are two allies of the ruling party that have been in government for a while.
Tchiroma has officially stepped down. I know Bello says he has to write to the president. So, for Tchiroma, he has officially stepped down. If you follow the interviews that he granted, it’s something that is very serious. I see them building momentum, discussing with the opposition, and other leaders. But I hope that stepping down doesn’t necessarily mean they must be the candidates of the opposition, because it might not send the right signal.
Others have been fighting the system for the last couple of years while they were inside. I think they should also come in, have a memorandum of understanding to see how they can build a strong and a veritable opposition so that the candidates also, or the candidate that will come up from their union will be a candidate also that can win in all parts of the country, because it’s not just sufficient to win in the Grand South or the Grand East. The North is also very important. So Tchiroma and Bello might be very helpful in the grand scheme of things to ensure that at least the ruling party is defeated in the elections.
Do you think these resignations signal an erosion of support for the Biya regime?
Barrister Agbor Balla: For now, I don’t think, because before Tchiroma and Bello resigned, when there were other elections in this country, the CPDM used to still have a majority there. But one thing it shows is that we are at the end of the regime. It’s end times. I think the president is losing his grip. The party is no longer the unifier that they claim to be, and it’s a signal that they are going downhill.
We don’t know what would happen tomorrow, but I think that it’s ruffled some feathers. You can tell by the reaction of the ruling party. You could tell by the fire brigade consultations. I don’t think it was planned. It’s a result of this resignation. So yes, it’s something serious.
The effect of it can also only be seen if the opposition capitalises on it, because resignation would not do that much if they don’t capitalise on it. They have to build from it and see how they can get as many supporters and sympathisers from the North to join and support the candidate that the opposition will agree on. But if they are still in dispersed ranks, the resignation might not be very helpful to anybody in this country.
You’ve made multiple calls on social media encouraging Cameroonians to register and vote. What motivated this renewed push for civic engagement?
Barrister Agbor Balla: It’s a citizen’s duty that I’m performing. I do the bottom-top and top-bottom approach. I see the apathy. I see the lethargy and the fact that most people are discouraged. As an opinion leader and somebody who is a community builder, I feel that it’s very important to play my own small role in making this country a better place. We all have to leave our footprints on the sands of time.
If it’s by encouraging people to register, especially youth and women, then so be it. That’s just a little role I can play. We’ve seen that not only I, but others also, other civil society actors have been encouraging people to register. We noticed that it’s resonated with a lot of people. I’ve met lots of people. Others have written to me in my inbox, telling me that they decided to register because of the campaign that myself and others are doing.
As of the last ELECAM statistics, about 8.2 million people had registered. So this is encouraging. We hope that it would not only be about registration, but it would also mean that they would vote when the time comes. We have up to the 12th, ideally, because the law says the Electoral College has to be convened latest the 12th of July. I know there are lots of questions that people want to ask. I know there are lots of concerns and worries. These questions will be answered when the time comes.
For now, the urgency is for people to register. To register, you need your ID card or your receipt. Look at the nearest ELECAM office or registration booth around where you stay, because this is very critical. I’ve spoken to a lot of people on social media who’ve had arguments about the fact that they are not interested in registering. I said, No, just go on. Register first.
We have from the 12th of July to August to September to October to get into the debate of voting, of you identifying the candidates. Because for now, we don’t know all the candidates – we don’t know the candidates that ELECAM would retain and those ELECAM would not retain. We don’t know what can happen between now and October. We have seen how things are playing out and people resigning. Nobody knows. Nobody is the almighty God. So, first things first, let us register. And then we will cross the bridge when we get there.
Some people, particularly in conflict-affected regions, have lost trust in the electoral process. What would you say to those who feel voting won’t make a difference?
Barrister Agbor Balla: Losing trust in the electoral process is something that I think a lot of people are complaining about. But the question I ask is, what is the option? What is the alternative? You understand? We have seen the fact that the armed struggle didn’t lead us anywhere, just brought destruction, mayhem and loss of life, psychological trauma, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
So to me, as somebody who believes in a constitutional process, who believes in the electoral process, I still believe that the ballot box can speak for Cameroonians. I still believe that your vote can be your power and can change the future. If people massively register, yes, things are the way they are in the South West and the North West region, which I understand.
But the question I ask myself is, should we just sit and do nothing or rather than vote and hope that things might change? Sitting and doing nothing means that we would still be in the status quo. Why don’t you attempt to go out there, register and vote, hoping that things will change? You would also vote and protect the vote, and ensure that everyone participates.
What I noticed is that we have outsourced our responsibilities to others. We believe that there are lawyers, there are opposition leaders, there are civil societies, and there are journalists. They are the ones who are supposed to be at the vanguard of change in this country. But I tell every citizen that we have a shared responsibility, individually and collectively. Meaning that if all of us do go out and register, vote, and protect the vote, it’s difficult to rig an election when the incumbent is defeated with a million applause votes. Let’s be honest. No matter how they manipulate the figures, it will be glaring, you see.
So the first thing is for people to have faith in the process, but have faith in themselves, in their ability to bring change. In saying to each citizen, I would make sure that when I vote, I’ll be there till the votes are counted. If all of us, 8.2 million Cameroonians who have registered, said the same thing, there is no way that the regime would be able to rig these elections.
As someone widely respected for your human rights advocacy, what role do you see civil society playing in this election?
Barrister Agbor Balla: Civil society has been playing a role. They will continue to play a role. They’ve been mobilising people to register. They’ve been talking against hate speech, which is very important, raising electoral awareness. They will continue to encourage people to vote when the time comes, but also ensuring that they try to midwife a discussion with the opposition and the government to ensure that the results are respected, and that we have an election which is free and fair and civil, meaning that we work with the election and just contribute generally to the well-being and the welfare of this country, because they have a role to play.
I think a lot of civil society organisations have played a very good role in spite of the shrinking civic space, in spite of the high-handedness of government, civil society has been doing a lot. I use this opportunity to urge or plead with the government to allow civil society to breathe. Let a hundred flowers bloom; let diverse schools of thought contend. And the stronger forces will pull the weaker forces.
There is no need to try to gag. There is no need to try to violate freedom of assembly, freedom of expression. There’s no need to try to bully or try to administratively terrorise civil society organisations, because they are very important in the grand scheme of things. This democratic process in Cameroon has to benefit everybody. Those who are in government today might not be in government, and they will still need the civil society. So what civil society is doing is for the betterment of the country, not for an individual.
We should understand that this country is our country, and all of us would come and go, but 237 would remain. So whoever is working for the interest of this country, I think we should support. We might have divergent opinions. I always say we disagree without necessarily being disagreeable, but at the end of the day, it’s the 237 that matters. It’s the land of promise and glory. It’s our fatherland that matters. This is the only country we have called Cameroon. So whoever is doing something to make sure that this country shines, they should allow him or her to do what they are doing.
Do you see the potential for a strong coalition of reform-minded leaders and parties?
Barrister Agbor Balla: Some of them are already talking to see how they can have a coalition. There will not be one because other people have their interests; other people are running for other reasons. But I think when we’re talking about a coalition, if we have the principal parties or the principal candidates coming together, it will also energise the base. It will also energise a lot of people to register. It will energise a lot of people to vote, because coming together does not necessarily mean you must win, but it motivates the naysayers.
It motivates those who don’t want to win. And when people come together, there’s a tendency that they can react to this electoral theft or rigging. But when they don’t come together, I’ll give you an example – If there’s an election and five candidates are running, if you are third and they’re saying that elections were rigged, the third person doesn’t have any interest for his or her supporters to put more pressure. It’s the second person who would be fighting.
But imagine that those five people came together. The pressure that their supporters will be putting on the electoral system will make it difficult for them to do what they intend to do. They’ll be scared, too. So it goes beyond just voting. It also mobilises the people pre-, during and post-election.
What final message to the voters out there?
Barrister Agbor Balla: What I would say to my fellow Cameroonians is, first, go and register. Go and register. Go and register. We have up to Friday, July 11, for everyone who is 20 and above to register. Anyone who has an ID or who has a receipt of their ID, go out there and register. After the 12th (July), we would have a conversation about voting and who to vote for. For now, that discussion is not very important.
The discussion now that we have at stake is to register because when we register, we are sure to participate in the electoral process. When we participate in the electoral process, we are sure to bring the necessary changes to Cameroon. When we participate in the electoral process, we are sure to have some of the things that we wish this country to become and to have. But without doing that, you know, as they say in Pidgin, we are only boiled in beans.
