Building Promising Future

Another chapter has opened in the political history of Cameroon with a renewed seven-year tenure for President Paul Biya. A sense of suspense which the electoral fever left across the country melted away with the ceremony in Yaounde, yesterday looking at the heavy turnout and the festive atmosphere that surrounded the event. A solemn swearing-in ceremony yesterday 6 November, 2025 in front of parliament, the President of the Constitutional Council, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the diplomatic community and a cross-section of national dignitaries; marked the official kick-off. Its expectations could only best be captured by the inaugural speech delivered by the Head of State soon after taking the oath of office and the various official activities like the award of insignia and other national honours that followed marked the significance and weight of the task ahead for the renewed tenure.     
Coming on 6 November, 2025 coincidentally on the same date like in 1982 when he first got to the helm of State affairs and in 2018 during the just ended term of office, is the ninth oath-taking ceremony that opens the eighth mandate in office for Mr Biya. As a concluding phase to an electoral period and opening a new perspective for governance, the topical issues of the day had to take centre stage and they are diametrically different from what the country faced years back when Mr Biya first became President of the Republic. Thus, after accepting the huge task to serve the nation and defend the Constitution likewise the independence and sovereignty of Cameroon, the President of the Republic not only reviewed the currently national picture, but pointed to the path that he intends to follow looking at the hurdles which Cameroon is facing. Apart from the solemn declaration he made, notably: "I will spare no effort to continue to be worthy of this trust," Mr Biya outlined specific areas that rightfully drew much applause from the huge crowd present.     
Moving from the restive situation in the North West and South West Regions, the insecurity in the Far North of the country and the post-electoral violence that the country witnessed, the President not only demonstrated a mastery of the situation, but had to reassure the population. His messages therefore geared at building a sense of confidence in Cameroon and its institutions. No matter the circumstances, the obstacles, the challenges, he will not retract. In addition, the depth of the problems, the frustrations and other setbacks holding down the people and the nation, the President said, are well known and can be overcome, especially when there is support from the population as he had during the 12 October, 2025 presidential election. Saying, as he did, that Cameroon does not need a post-electoral crisis sounded loaded and with heavy connotation. Some had sought to raise fears and discredit the electoral process in the country as if to turn the hand of the clock. But the solemn oath-taking ceremony simply calls on all and sundry to make a U-turn and ensure that the country continues on the path of progress and development ensuring that peace, unity and stability are maintained at all times. 
That explains why he made a special appeal to traditional rulers, the elite, and other community leaders to create awareness among their populations to ensure that peace and unity prevail. Such a path will not just be by dropping arms, but also accepting to join the DDR Centres for necessary transformation   before reintegration into society. Lives lost, property destroyed and several acts of insecurity spread in some parts of the country are supposed to be things of the past in order that the earmarked projects for the emergence of Cameroon by 2035 should be realised.     
Looking at the electoral manifesto of the Head of State, President Biya came back to the youth and women to reassure them of his determination to keenly follow up on the difficulties that they face: Unemployment, educational setbacks, lack of professional training, and making the best of the digital economy are just a few of the worries that youths will want to see tackled. And President Biya could not leave such concerns out of the picture. S...