Eric Chinje urges media to shape Cameroon’s future through informed election coverage

Cameroon finds itself at a critical crossroads in this 2025 election year. The political, economic, and social crises plaguing the country have worsened to the point where inaction is no longer an option. 

Today, more than ever before, we are so foolish as to believe that citizens are counting on us, journalists and communications professionals, not only to report the facts, but also to serve as guardians of the truth, catalysts for accountability, and facilitators of informed national dialogue. 

Many of our fellow citizens seem to have given up in despair! “Cameroon is Cameroon. What can we do?” has become a common refrain across the country. 

As if struck by some kind of fatality, we seem to have abandoned all hope, all will for true national development, and all hope for the future of the country. 

In the political jungle that our country has become, the mantra is the survival of the fittest. Students graduate from colleges and universities with nothing more to look forward to than the struggle to survive another day. 

Doctors and nurses graduate from once-reputable medical institutions, with no career prospects in dilapidated health centers that are in dire need of qualified personnel. Academic institutions litter the national landscape, while teachers wander the streets in search of well-paying jobs.

Farmers, who continue to cultivate the land despite increasing difficulties, are faced with the persistent impassability of roads to transport their produce to a destitute population.

For too long, the symptoms of our decline have been evident: governance faltering under the weight of vested interests, an economy grappling with massive corruption and mismanagement, and a society increasingly divided by tribalism and fabricated ethnic suspicions. 

Yet, amid these crises, one truth remains: we have the power to shape the narrative, bring clarity where confusion reigns, and hold those in power to account. 

We can help chart a path to a prosperous future, but we must all be convinced of this country’s ability to rise again and find its place as a leader in Africa. 

Do you believe, deep down, that Cameroon can and must do this? Do you think we have the leaders today with the policies and vision to make it happen?

As the presidential election approaches, it is urgent to conduct a national assessment, debate development options, and for leaders to propose credible solutions to the crises we face. 

It is true that the general fear of electoral fraud has cast a shadow over the process, discouraging open debate and limiting the emergence of candidates with new ideas and viable programs. Public disillusionment is growing, and the space for constructive debate is shrinking. 

In such a context, the role of the media becomes even more crucial. We must refocus the national debate on the essential issues: governance, economic recovery, social stability, and the future of democracy. 

We must challenge the forces that seek to stifle debate, denounce the mechanisms that perpetuate political stagnation, and give voice to the aspirations of the people.

This is not a call for sensationalism or partisanship. It is a call for a renewed commitment to journalism that informs rather than inflames, that seeks solutions rather than simply exposing problems.

The Cameroonian people need facts free from political allegiance, perspectives that illuminate rather than obscure, and stories that reflect the struggles and aspirations of the nation. 

We must ask ourselves difficult questions: Are we truly serving the public interest, or are we mired in the same dysfunctions we denounce? Are we providing the necessary depth of analysis, or are we simply relaying the noise of crises without investigating their root causes? 

Have we done enough to foster dialogue and accountability, or have we allowed the space for truth to shrink under the weight of fear and influence? History will judge how the Cameroonian media responded to this moment. 

Let us not be spectators, but standard-bearers of truth. Let us reclaim the highest ideals of our profession, not for ourselves, but for the future of the nation we serve. As in the legend of the hummingbird, let everyone do their part: it is time for soul-searching. It is time for action.

We invite you to ask yourself: “What have I done to contribute to meaningful change in the country?” The answer lies in your conscience, and your future actions will reflect it! 

Allow us to suggest a few courses of action: i.) Help the country identify the leader it wants right now. “Enterprise Cameroon” is looking for a CEO (Chief Executive Officer). 

The media should initiate and support the consensus process on the profile of the leader we will recruit and the job description. Attached is an example of the profile and terms of reference (TOR) that could guide the search for the country’s next president. 

ii.) A definitive refocusing of concerns about people, personalities, football, and scandals to the real problems facing the country and the solutions to its many problems. Every Cameroonian has an idea of possible solutions to the problems that directly affect them. 

Media professionals should inform themselves and highlight them, especially those who currently hold leadership positions or aspire to become leaders. We hope that we will, individually and collectively, meet the demands of our time. 

We hope that future generations of Cameroonian media professionals will remember with pride and find inspiration in the work we did to save our country when it was up to us to help it win the war for democracy and development. 

Sincerely, 

On behalf of the Cameroon New Vision Group (CANVI)- Eric Chinje

ABOUT ERIC CHINJE AND CANVI

CANVI stands for Cameroon New Vision, a group of patriotic Cameroonians at home and in the diaspora striving to ensure the 2025 presidential election is issues-based, not distracted by subjective considerations.

Eric Chinje is a veteran journalist and communications expert. He was the pioneer Editor-in-Chief of CTV/CRTV and went on to lead communications for the World Bank, African Development Bank and Mo-Ibrahim Foundation.

He later managed the African Media Initiative. He is committed to good governance in Cameroon and naturally engages with the Press with advice on the vital role news media should play in both elections and governance.

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Eric Chinje, veteran journalist and communications expert