Cameroon Opposition Figure Aboubakar Ousmane Mey Seeks Legalization of RENA Party

The fate of Cameroon’s new Rendez-vous National party, known as RENA, now rests with Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji, the same official who ordered the administrative arrest and detention of its founder, Aboubakar Ousmane Mey.

The party’s creation is no longer in question. RENA has a name, a president, Mouhamadou Aboubakar, a secretary-general, Hamadou Aboubakar, and a treasurer, Teteo Gilbert Ndzidama. Its constitutive meeting took place in Yaoundé. The remaining hurdle is administrative validation.

The application was filed on July 25, 2026, with the governor of Cameroon’s Centre Region. On Aug. 12, the governor’s office forwarded the dossier to Atanga Nji, whose ministry oversees political parties. The minister’s decision carries particular weight because he launched proceedings against Mey shortly before the Oct. 12 presidential election, following remarks he made on Équinoxe TV. Mey said a plan to shift power was 80% complete.

Mey was arrested on Oct. 6 while serving on the campaign team of Bello Bouba Maigari, the UNDP candidate. Authorities accused him of holding an illegal demonstration and inciting revolt, and detained him at Garoua prison. Opposition leaders from several parties called for his release. He was freed on Nov. 21, 2025.

The opposition figure remains known for his outspoken stance toward the government and for his effort to return the remains of former President Ahmadou Ahidjo from Senegal to Cameroon. He is the brother of Economy, Planning and Regional Development Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey, and comes from a family associated with Ahidjo. By forming RENA after his release, he is seeking the legal standing and autonomy to pursue political activity, with an expected base in Cameroon’s northern region. If approved, the party will enter a political environment already containing nearly 360 parties.