From Grassroots Giant To Political Shadow: How The Anglophone Crisis Crippled The SDF, Can It Rise Again?

SDF @ 36 Anniversary Celebrations In Bamenda 

By Raymond Dingana

Born on May 26, 1990, in Bamenda, the Social Democratic Front (SDF) was once a vibrant political party with strong support from the grassroots. However, it is now a shadow of its former self.

The SDF was once a major force to be reckoned with, the biggest headache for Cameroon’s ruling party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). That changed when the Anglophone Crisis began.

How the Anglophone Crisis Targeted the SDF

Separatist groups in Anglophone Cameroon treated the SDF as if it had caused the crisis. As a result, they made life difficult for SDF members. Many militants were forced to flee, as efforts to weaken and destroy the party began. Even the party chairman at the time, Ni John Fru Ndi, was not spared. He was kidnapped twice by suspected separatist fighters.

First kidnapping happened while he was traveling to Sop in Jakiri, Bui Division, North West Region. He was going to bury the late Member of Parliament, Banadzem, whom he described as his son.  

Second kidnapping was on Friday, June 28, 2019, shortly after the first abduction. He spent two days in captivity under difficult condition.

After regaining his freedom, he spoke to the press on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at his residence in Ntarinkon. He said his kidnappers gave him a 24-hour deadline to withdraw SDF members of Parliament from Cameroon’s National Assembly.

Also, Fru Ndi’s sister was kidnapped in Baba II, and part of his compound was set on fire. The attackers claimed their action was because the SDF took part in the 7 October 2018 presidential election which he lost.

Chairman Fru Ndi After Regaining His Freedom 

Former Kumbo Mayor Njong Donatus was also kidnapped around Sabga and later released. Many other SDF leaders suffered too, including the late Hon. Mbah Ndam, the late Lt. Hon. Esther Ngala, and others.

How the Anglophone Crisis Brought the SDF to Its Knees

Once, the SDF controlled almost all the municipal councils in the North West Region (NWR). Today, the party is left with only one council in the region which is the Bamenda III Council.

This has been blamed on the crisis, as gunmen calling themselves Ambazonian separatists continued to make things difficult for the party.

The SDF began to feel the real impact in 2019, when things started going wrong. That was when the party began losing territories to the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, (CPDM). In the elections during this period marked by the Anglophone Crisis that later metamorphose into a war, the SDF repeatedly lost showing that the party was struggling.

While the SDF was sinking, the CPDM was gaining ground. The CPDM swept many councils and also won Parliamentary and Senatorial seats in both houses of Parliament.

Today, the SDF has only one seat in the Senate out of the 100 seats. This is possible because the President (Paul Biya) appoints 30 senators, and those appointed senators make up part of the 100, and that was how Senator Muchigul was maintained as senator.

In the North West Region still considered the SDF’s main stronghold, the party has only one council: Bamenda III, led by Mayor Fonguh Cletus.

At the National Assembly, Hon. Njong Evaristus Ndim (from Boyo) is the only representative of the SDF and one of the five members of the party at the National Assembly. At the level of the North West Regional Assembly, the SDF is virtually not present.

Many blame this situation on the activities of separatist fighters, whose actions seem to target the SDF despite the fact that the SDF supports a federal system of government, which some disgruntled Anglophones are also fighting for which would mean more autonomy to Anglophone Cameroonian.

Many Anglophones including Historians believe that the abolition of the Two States Federation by the May 20, 1972 referendum actually gave birth to the Anglophone Crisis.

CPDM: The Biggest Beneficiary of the Anglophone Crisis?

As the SDF appears to lose control of Anglophone Cameroon even though the SDF supports federalism, the CPDM is gaining ground despite its ideology of one and indivisible Cameroon. Many believe separatist activities have helped the CPDM rise.

When the crisis started, some analysts predicted the CPDM would disappear from Anglophone Cameroon. What is seen today is the opposite as the CPDM has won much ground and is even threatening to take the Bamenda III Council from the SDF.

Some people also accuse the CPDM of using armed groups to its advantage, though the details differ from person to person. Despite the tense situation, the government insists that elections must continue. When elections are held, CPDM candidates often win.

Political analysts say the CPDM uses state resources such as the military while other parties, like the SDF, do not enjoy the same advantages. On election days, gunshots are sometimes heard early in the morning, which scares people. Yet the final results often show that thousands still voted for the CPDM.

Many critics have accused separatist fighters of acting like the “military wing” of the CPDM questioning why many of their actions seem to benefit the CPDM more than other parties.

However, others argue that CPDM has also suffered from the crisis. They point to cases such as: the CPDM Mayor of Nwa, who was killed by suspected separatist fighters, the Mayor of Belo, killed on 20 May 2024, the kidnapping of Senator Regina Mundi, and other incidents.

Even with these arguments, many people still believe separatist fighters have benefited CPDM more than they have helped Anglophone Cameroonians, the people they claim to fight for.

Are Recent SDF Moves a Sign They Are Returning?

Recently, there have been signs that the SDF under Joshua Osih may be planning a comeback. Observers say the mobilisation during celebrations marking important national dates suggests the party may be waking up again.

During the party’s 36th anniversary celebrations, one message stood out: the SDF said it wants to take back everything it lost during the Anglophone Crisis. That message reportedly shocked its opponents.

The party also seems to have realised that it must work hard to protect its future. That is why it used the celebrations to encourage supporters to register massively on the electoral register and vote when elections are organized.

                               Editor’s Note

The party needs more than just asking people to register. It must also increase community engagements, rebuild the grassroots spirit, and remain present in the news and in people’s minds for the right reasons.

The SDF communication team at all levels should work better. They should learn from other parties whose communication teams report on every positive achievement, and don't wait only to appear on television or in the media during major celebrations.

Grassroots communication should intensify. The population should feel the party at all times. Even small actions matter, and the list is long.

Finally, since the Anglophone Crisis is still ongoing, the party should not become too discouraged by the crisis. It should also remind everyone including those carrying weapons that denying people the chance to vote on election day is, in a way, denying the very population they claim to protect, and siting with those they claim to claim to be fighting against, for one thing is clear, "you can't be drinking poison and expects your enemy to die."