By Boris Esono Nwenfor
BUEA, PAV – Officials, militants and sympathisers of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) have celebrated the 36th anniversary of Cameroon’s leading opposition party with a call for democratic change, national unity and greater political participation ahead of upcoming elections.
In a message delivered on May 26, SDF National Chairman Joshua Osih reflected on the party’s journey since its creation in 1990 and urged Cameroonians not to lose hope despite the political, economic and social challenges facing the country.
Founded in Bamenda by the late Ni John Fru Ndi and other pro-democracy activists, the SDF emerged at a time when Cameroon was under a one-party political system. The party quickly became a symbol of opposition politics and democratic struggle in the country.
Addressing party members and supporters, Osih described the anniversary as a celebration of “courage, sacrifice, resilience and hope,” paying tribute to those who stood up against injustice and demanded political freedoms more than three decades ago.
“Thirty-six years ago, brave men and women stood up against fear and injustice to proclaim a simple but revolutionary idea: Cameroon belongs to its entire people, not to a privileged few,” Osih said.
He noted that the SDF was born out of the aspirations of ordinary Cameroonians, including youths seeking opportunities, women demanding equality, workers calling for fairness and marginalised communities seeking recognition and justice.
The SDF chairman also revisited some of the defining moments in the party’s history, including the disputed 1992 presidential election in which the party has consistently maintained that victory was stolen from it. “Since 1990, the SDF has remained faithful to the people. When our victory was stolen in 1992, we chose peace over bloodshed,” Osih declared.
He said the party has continued to stand for accountability, dialogue and national unity at a time when corruption, political division and extremism threaten the country’s stability.
Osih’s message focused heavily on the current state of Cameroon, which he described as being at a critical turning point. According to him, many young people remain unemployed despite their talents, while millions of citizens continue to struggle with poverty and uncertainty.
He also highlighted the underrepresentation of women in decision-making positions and warned against growing divisions based on tribe, religion, region and social class. “Far too many citizens feel abandoned in their own country,” he said. “Increasingly, we are divided by tribe, region, religion and social status instead of united by a common national identity and shared destiny.”
Despite these concerns, the SDF chairman insisted that “another Cameroon is possible,” outlining his vision of a country where citizenship matters more than ethnicity and where public office becomes a platform for service rather than personal enrichment.
Osih called on Cameroonians to actively engage in politics and democratic processes, stressing that meaningful change would not come through speeches alone but through organisation, discipline and collective action. “Politics belongs to the people,” he said while encouraging youths, women and disadvantaged groups to register massively on the electoral rolls and contest future municipal and legislative elections.
As part of preparations for future elections, Osih announced that the party would launch a “Campaign Locomotive for Electoral Success” during the upcoming National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for June 13 in Bamenda.
According to him, the strategy aims to strengthen the party’s grassroots structures and improve its mobilisation capacity nationwide. The anniversary message also paid tribute to the memory of Ni John Fru Ndi, whose death three years ago marked the end of an era for the opposition movement in Cameroon.
Osih described Fru Ndi’s legacy as a source of inspiration for generations of Cameroonians fighting for democratic reforms and political change. “The greatest tribute we can pay to him is to continue the struggle he began and to deliver democratic change to the people of Cameroon,” he said.
“Together, let us rebuild hope. Together, let us rebuild trust. Together, let us rebuild Cameroon,” Osih declared as the party marked 36 years of political existence in Cameroon.
