His nomination was confirmed during the party’s Extraordinary Congress held Saturday, May 31, at the Yaoundé Conference Centre.
Hon. Pierre Kwemo, former Vice President of the National Assembly and sitting Member of Parliament for Upper Nkam, has been officially selected as the presidential candidate of the Union of Socialist Movements, UMS. His nomination was confirmed during the party’s Extraordinary Congress held Saturday, May 31, at the Yaoundé Conference Centre. The high-level political gathering brought together an estimated 3,000 delegates from across Cameroon. In a show of unity and enthusiasm, party members voted unanimously for Pierre Kwemo, the UMS National President, in the final moments of a congress.
In his acceptance speech, Kwemo expressed deep appreciation for the confidence placed in him by party supporters. “Be aware that you have just entrusted someone who must carry the Cameroonian flag in the coming months,” he said. “I believe that at least 90% of the people here tonight would have rather watched the Champions League final, but you stayed because you are determined to save your country. While his election as flagbearer was widely celebrated, Kwemo clarified that a final vetting process remains, to be conducted by the party’s Political Bureau in accordance with UMS internal procedures.
He reaffirmed that this final step is in line with UMS’s commitment to internal democracy and transparency. The congress also served as a platform for the party to reaffirm its readiness to contest the presidency for the first time since its founding in 2011. Kwemo declared that after more than a decade of political engagement, UMS is now prepared to lead Cameroon with a vision centered on equity and the fair distribution of national wealth. “In 2011, the party had just been created. In 2018, we were not fully structured.
Today, we have built a national presence and the capacity to mobilize across all regions,” he stated, highlighting the party’s control of the Bafang Council since 2013 and its two seats in the National Assembly.
Open to coalition
Despite UMS’s confidence in its ability to independently challenge the ruling regime, Kwemo reiterated the party’s openness to joining a coalition—provided it is with credible and legally validated candidates. “We will only engage in partnerships with candidates who are confirmed by the Constitutional Council. We believe in putting the interests of Cameroonians above those of individual political parties,” he said. Saturday’s congress was also marked by the presence of over a dozen leaders and representatives of other opposition movements. Among them were Barrister Akere Muna of the Now Movement, Hon. Tomaino Ndam Njoya of the Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU, and Senator Pierre Flambeau Ngayap, who represented Minister Bello Bouba Maigari of the National Union for Democracy and Progress, UNDP. All echoed a common call for a united front to mount a credible challenge to the incumbent regime. As the 2025 presidential race takes shape, UMS’s move marks a significant moment in Cameroon’s political landscape, with many watching closely to see whether broader opposition alliances will emerge ahead of the polls.
