A Call for the New Republic: Barrister Akere Muna's Presidential Candidacy Announcement
In October 2017, amid the escalating Anglophone crisis, a civil society leader announces his candidacy for the Cameroonian presidency, framing the election as an opportunity to rebuild institutions around governance, rule of law, and the voices of youth and women.
Read the full transcript of his announcement below _____________________________________________________
My fellow Cameroonians,
Our country is now at the crossroads of its history. We must now move towards a new republic; a new republic that finds strength in diversity, a new republic founded on good governance, a new republic built own the rule of law. A new republic inspired by the will of the people, a new republic that is a union we must define. A new republic that must cultivate zero tolerance, for corruption, for tribalism, for nepotism, and of course favoritism. A new republic that reaffirms justice for all, healthcare for all, and education for all.
My commitment to our union and to our nation is resolute. I have therefore taken the decision to be part of the solution that our country is crying out for; the creation of this new republic.
It is with a great sense of responsibility and humility that i have decided to inform you of my intention to run for the office of president of the republic of Cameroon in the elections constitutionally scheduled for 2018.
Our union faces serious challenges. Lives have been lost and many of our fellow citizens have been injured. Today, our hearts and our prayers go out to all those who lost their dear ones. To the injured, we wish you all a swift recovery.. Public and private property has been destroyed; the stability of our nation is in peril.
Our institutions and systems of governance must be relevant to the hopes and aspirations of the people. The bond between citizens and their government must never breakdown. I have been blessed with a national and international career in civil society and also in international institutions. I consider that my experience as a member and later chairperson of the eminent persons panel of the African peer review mechanism has given me the pointed expertise in evaluating the governance of the corporate, the social, the economic, and political sectors of African countries. This indeed, has helped me to identify and analyze the ailments and afflictions of our beloved country, Cameroon.
As a member of our civil society, I believe that I am in a strategic position to create a non-partisan platform that must catalyze the transformation of our nation. Therefore in the coming months, I will continue to reach out to the youth, to the civil society, to political parties, and of course to our traditional rulers.
The cornerstone of this movement will be the women and the youth of this country. They give so much, indeed, so much to our society and get very very little in return. In spite of this injustice, their energy is unrelenting.
I ask the youth and the women of Cameroon to accompany me in this journey. I urge you to join the NOW movement and to participate actively in the creation of a new republic.
for too ling, we have lived in a country without any clear future. For too long we have I’ve in a country where the people have no voice. For too long we have lived in a country where the women have no choice. For too long we have live in a country where the poor and underprivileged have no chance.
We have been transformed by material needs and blinded by our greed. This is not Cameroonian. Together we have the power to change things for the better. Together we can direct the power, this power, we can direct it to succeed. Together we can change our ways. Together we can change our society. Together, we can change our country, and of course, ultimately, together we can chose our leaders.
The days of waiting are over. We must begin her, now and today. Those who thought they put us to sleep now realize that we are wide awake. Those who thought we should never live in fear or that we are living in fear, now realize we stand up to save our country. Our country must remain united by its diversity and not divided by it.
Fellow Cameroonians,
Join our march towards the new republic.
Join the NOW Movement.
Be part of the change that 21st Century Cameroon deserves.
Join me and let us be part of the solution.
Long Live Cameroon.
The post emerges at a moment of acute national fracture—the Anglophone regions were experiencing rising tensions and violence, institutions were under strain, and citizens were questioning the legitimacy and responsiveness of existing political structures. The announcement represents a bid to channel civic dissatisfaction into electoral competition.
The piece captures a specific form of Cameroonian political hope: the belief that civil society expertise and good-governance rhetoric could anchor a serious challenge to the status quo. It remains instructive as a document of how reform-minded voices diagnosed the nation's ailments in that moment, and as a record of the ambitions—and implicit limits—of non-partisan presidential candidacies in the context of deep institutional crisis.