Why a New Party? The Purpose of the USDP

The reason for creating another political party at this precise moment in Cameroon is to address the challenges of a different world. It is said that one does not put new wine into old wineskins, nor can one give what one does not have. This era symbolizes a new dawn for Cameroonians, especially the youth. We are confident, even optimistic, about our future prosperity if we have the courage to change and use that change to build a better Cameroon, a better Africa, and a better world. Achieving this means more than just a change of government. Our goal is nothing less than to steer Cameroon's political life onto a new path for the future.

People are cynical about politics and wary of political promises. This is hardly surprising. There have been numerous breaches of trust with the promises of the current regime before the elections of 2004, 2007, 2011, and 2018 respectively: that they would not raise taxes and would lower the prices of basic commodities; then they continued to increase them substantially at a time when they see Cameroonians are distracted. Unfulfilled promises litter the country's memory. A system that has practically held the legitimate rights of Cameroonians hostage by making civil servants feel they owe absolute loyalty to the CPDM party. That as a civil servant or state agent, you cannot openly campaign for a political party opposed to the ruling party if you want to secure your salary from the government. Such methods in democratic politics no longer apply, as they do not help the people and society as a whole achieve sustainable development. Moreover, this keeps the people docile and very passive in their role toward achieving collective and individual progress and development. To address the critical issues of our society, it is necessary to organize serious debates on the issues that matter most to ordinary Cameroonians, regardless of your political affiliation.

That is why we have made it our guiding rule not to promise what we cannot deliver and to deliver what we promise. What follows is not the 100-day politics that dazzles for a while, then fades away. It is not the politics of the belly, but that of a new beginning, a revolution of the mind, the patient reconstruction and renewal of this country; a renewal that can take root through a collective awareness of who we are, the path we have traveled, and how far we can go in transforming our individual and collective lives. In other words, we are not just excited about changing the current regime and government; we are rather interested in building a society that should be confident in what it has and use what it has for the benefit of present and future generations of Cameroonians.

This is one way in which politics in Cameroon will find a new breath. But there is another. We aim to leave behind the bitter political struggles of left and right that have divided our country for many years. Many of these conflicts have no relevance to a modern society—public versus private, bosses versus workers, middle class versus working class, etc. It is time for this country to move forward. We are proud of our history, proud of what we have accomplished—but we must learn from our history, not be chained to it.

The purpose of the United Socialist Democratic Party (USDP) is to show Cameroonians the need for a new and different political choice: the choice between a failing, exhausted, and divided centralized government in everything except its desire to cling to power. We believe that a new and revitalized United Socialist Democratic Party (USDP), which has resolved to transform itself into a party for the present and future generations of Cameroonians, has everything it takes to govern this nation.