30/09/2025
CPDM Launches 2025 Presidential Campaign in Ndop — September 30, 2025
Opening the Campaign in a Time of Expectations
On 30 September 2025, the CPDM officially launched its presidential campaign in Ndop, Ngoketunjia Division (North West Region). This local kickoff marks the party’s formal engagement with voters in a region heavily impacted by the Anglophone crisis and continues a nationwide campaign rollout.
The event drew party militants, traditional and community leaders, local elected officials, youth representatives, and supporters. Speeches emphasized unity, peace, reconstruction, and the promise of renewed development under the CPDM banner.
Key Messages at the Launch
At the Ndop launch, several themes stood out:
Peace & Stability: The campaign stressed that achieving peace in the region is nonnegotiable, and that only through stability can infrastructure, schools, health services, and commerce resume normal function.
Continuity & Experience: Speakers appealed to the value of continuity in leadership, arguing that in times of crisis, experience and steady hands are necessary.
Rebuilding Trust: Given the wariness among many locals, leaders acknowledged past failures and pledged to rebuild trust by delivering tangible results, not just rhetoric.
Mobilization & Voter Wake-Up: Militants and party activists were urged to intensify grassroots engagement, ensure registration compliance, and counter rival narratives.
Inclusive Participation: Though much of the messaging had a top-down tone, there were calls for youth, women, and displaced persons to be accounted for and included in the electoral process.
Context & Significance
The choice to launch in Ndop is politically symbolic. This area has borne the brunt of disruptions—from school shutdowns and security breakdowns to population displacements. A high turnout here, under CPDM influence, would serve as a statement that the party remains strong even in challenging constituencies.
Moreover, the timing comes soon after the national campaign formally began. Across the country, various candidates have held launch events.
At the national level:
In the North West, CPDM’s regional campaign activities have been under the direction of Philemon Yang, who has emphasized that experience, not youth or “novelty,” should guide the electorate’s choice.
The media environment is already showing signs of imbalance: CPDM events and narratives are more prominently covered in the English-language press and on state-run outlets.
Thus, the Ndop launch isn’t just local—it’s part of a broader effort to dominate the narrative in the Anglophone region and counter opposition visibility.
Risks & Challenges Ahead from Day One
High Expectations: Launch speeches promising reconstruction and peace will immediately be held up against what can actually be delivered in the coming months. If the gap is wide, dissatisfaction will grow.
Security Concerns: Given the fragile situation in the North West, ensuring safe movements for campaign teams, voters, and rallies will be a constant concern.
Message Saturation: With media coverage already favoring CPDM, the challenge will be to ensure the campaign’s messaging doesn’t become stale or hollow in the eyes of skeptical audiences.
Opposition Counterpunch: Launching in a hotspot like Ndop invites direct counter-claiming from opposition groups — accusations of neglect, broken promises, or electoral intimidation may intensify quickly.
Inclusivity & Access: The campaign must convincingly show that marginalized groups—displaced persons, remote communities, youth—are not being sidelined.
What to Monitor in the Coming Days
Follow-up Rallies & Roadshows: Will campaign teams replicate the energy of the launch across all subdivisions in Ngoketunjia, or will momentum wane?
Media Narratives: Which voices get prime airtime, especially in North West radio stations or local community media? Any censorship or media bias will be closely watched.
Voter Registration & Turnout Indicators: Any spike in last-minute registration, or data from field monitors on intended turnout, will be telling.
Opposition Responses: Watch how opposition candidates or parties respond locally—whether they hold alternative events, issue critiques of the launch, or attempt to shift the narrative.
Security Incidents: Any disruptions, intimidation, or violence, especially around campaign events or in rural areas, will significantly affect perceptions.
By Triyah SWEBU
