Cameroon: Behind Issa Tchiroma’s polished rhetoric lies a veiled call for popular uprising
As Cameroon stands on the brink of a new political chapter, opposition figure Issa Tchiroma has chosen the path of disorder over responsibility. Beneath a veneer of patriotism and reconciliation, his recent speech thinly veils a dangerous call for confrontation and civil disobedience. Framed as a plea for democracy, it is, in reality, an attempt to delegitimize republican institutions and sow doubt in the public mind.
The stakes transcend mere electoral rivalry, touching upon the very cohesion and stability of Cameroon.
Under the guise of defending the “truth of the ballot box,” Tchiroma urges the people to “march,” “fight,” and “reclaim their victory.” This deceptively peaceful rhetoric borders on an incitement to insurrection.
His calculated use of terms like “liberation,” “combat,” “destiny in our hands,” and “predatory regime” reveals an escalation strategy aimed at transforming political frustration into popular revolt.
Behind the apparent patriotic fervour lies a logic of rupture, where the street becomes a substitute for the ballot box and anger, a political tool.
Such a stance, in a country that has preserved peace despite regional turbulence, is profoundly irresponsible. Cameroon cannot afford the luxury of adventurism or improvisation.
Africa’s history teaches us that the temptation of the street often leads to national disintegration. Republican institutions, despite the imperfections inherent in any system, remain the sole guarantors of sovereignty and stability.
In the face of this populist drift, the moment calls for lucidity and unity. The Cameroonian people, mature and resilient, have already proven their ability to discern truth from tumult.
The future of Cameroon will be written within the framework of the law, dialogue, and national construction not through the manipulation of crowds. The country needs courageous builders, not provocateurs disguised as liberators.
Jean-Robert TCHANDY
