By Bakah Derick
One of the earliest security officers (christened Vanguard) of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) has expressed hope that his party will do better in the coming days. Ta Muma with Vanguard badge number 004 and the District Chairman of the Bamemda III Electoral District have Lucas Ngu Afung spoke to The Hilltop Mail (www.hilltopvoices.com ) on Friday 26 May 2023 marking the 33rd anniversary of the SDF.
Ta Muma who witnessed the launching of the SDF in 1990 believed that his party of choice was going to get to power within the shortest possible time. He watched the National Chairperson Ni John Fru Ndi tour Cameroon and years passed by until 1992 when he believes his party’s election victory was stolen before they boycotted in 1997.
“Fru Ndi told us that if we go to fight, they will kill many of you and the chair will be meaningless to him. Let us follow gradually because SDF is a social democratic party. It is the party of the vanguard and we don’t use weapons and we are going to succeed. So if Fru Ndi is still moving today and breathing good air, we have all the assurance that SDF is going to win the government of this country.” Ta Muma said
He maintains his position that the SDF has the best manifesto in Cameroon as far as political parties are concern.
“If SDF takes over power in this country, all this cry that we want to go here, go there will stop because everybody will be very satisfied. I think if you stay in your house, you eat, you dress well, your children go to school, you have your hospitals; you have no reason to complain. The future for the SDF no matter this crisis; even if SDF is not winning in the Anglophone area, it is going to win in the Francophone area.” He noted emphatically.
33years according to the District Chairman is synonymous to the years Jesus Christ-founder of Christianity lived on earth and died before his resurrection. The challenges his party is going through is symbolic to the death of Jesus and the resurrection is not far again.
“This is a very significant and memorable celebration. I am tempted to give it a biblical link. At 33. Christ the Saviour of mankind was crucified. He died and was buried. Three days later he resurrected. Mankind has lived with the blessing received from his resurrection till now. To link it to the SDF at 33, Bamenda III where I am district chairman is the lone council for the party in the region now. Apparently those who want to see the glass half empty will see it as the party loosing grounds at various levels. But if you look at it as a glass half full analytically, the party is gathering more momentum.”
He expressed the hope that after the next elections, the situation will not be the same. He sees a rebirth for his party which will make it stronger than it was before the current situation.
Created on May 26, 1990 in Bamenda, the SDF has maintained social democracy as its ideology with a center-left political position. Ni John Fru Ndi has been the Chairperson of the party since creation.
The party is set to organize a convention next July with the possibility of having a new chairperson.