Cameroon’s main opposition party, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), has elected Tiriane Balbine Nadège Noah as its first female president, marking a historic leadership transition as the party seeks to consolidate its position ahead of the country’s 2027 local elections.
Noah secured more than 96 per cent of the votes at an extraordinary elective congress held on Saturday in Yaoundé, emerging unopposed after her only challenger withdrew from the race.
Her election follows the resignation last month of Maurice Kamto, who led the party for 14 years. Noah, formerly the party’s second vice-president, had served as interim president since his departure.
The congress went ahead despite pressure for the authorities to ban the gathering. Party supporters assembled at the MRC headquarters to elect a new leader and voice concerns over restrictions they say have hampered the opposition’s activities.
Speaking to Africanews, Joseph Emmanuel Ateba, the party’s national secretary in charge of party reform, said the successful conduct of the congress was significant given the challenges the MRC had faced.
“The MRC, a party that has been persecuted since its inception, is unfortunately not allowed to exercise its rights,” Ateba said, adding that party members were pleased the meeting had received authorisation and proceeded under good conditions.
About 1,200 delegates attended the congress to choose Kamto’s successor, underscoring the importance the party attached to the leadership transition.
A New Chapter After Kamto
Noah’s emergence marks a new phase for the MRC following Kamto’s departure amid concerns among party members that the government was seeking to dismantle the organisation.
An MRC delegate, Kuesbi Mefo Thierry, praised Noah’s experience within the party, describing her as one of the capable figures developed under Kamto’s leadership.
“Maurice Kamto has trained people, great guardians like Tiriane Balbine Noah, who served as Vice-President of the MRC,” he said. “Today, we are proud to make her our president.”
Noah’s election gives her a renewable five-year term at a time when the party faces the task of maintaining internal cohesion, strengthening its political structures and preparing for future electoral contests.
In her address to the congress, the new president paid tribute to party activists who, she said, had endured personal sacrifices in their political engagement.
“All the activists who have paid with their lives, their freedom, their safety and their commitment deserve recognition,” Noah said.
She also praised Kamto, describing him as “a genuine democrat, a humanist and a man of peace”, and said the conduct of the congress should serve as a fitting political tribute to his leadership.
Eyes On 2027 Elections
The leadership change comes as the MRC turns its attention to Cameroon’s 2027 local elections, which will test its ability to mobilise supporters and sustain its influence in a challenging political environment.
Noah inherits a party that has raised concerns over restrictions on opposition activity while attempting to preserve its organisational strength following Kamto’s resignation.
Her immediate challenge will be to unite party members around a common strategy, maintain the confidence of its supporters and translate the symbolic significance of her election into effective political organisation.
For the MRC, the election of its first female president is both a milestone in its history and the beginning of a demanding new chapter. With the 2027 electoral contests approaching, Noah’s leadership will be judged not only by the significance of her historic emergence but also by the party’s ability to turn renewed leadership into political gains.
