The atmosphere in Santa on Saturday 21 March 2026  was one of calculated optimism. Militants of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement gathered for a Joint Section Conference under the theme "Mezam II Santa appreciates militants and consolidates achievements", a gathering that combined celebration, strategic planning and political education ahead of the twin legislative and municipal elections expected later this year.

Section President Mbah Shupong Michael set the tone from the outset, thanking party members for their commitment during the October 2025 presidential election and calling on the section to preserve and redirect that energy toward the electoral battles still to come.

The conference made room for structured presentations from four resource persons. Jean Marc Afesi Mbafor set the tone of presentations with a call that drew audible approval. Speaking on youth and women's engagement and participation, he argued firmly that involvement must move beyond tokenism. In line with the Head of State's mandate placing youth and women at the centre of Cameroon's political renewal, he expressed a clear wish to see both groups presented as candidates, not merely as campaigners, in the upcoming elections.

Ntumfor Fru Jonathan addressed party discipline, reminding militants that the CPDM's foundational texts are binding frameworks, not decorative documents, and that acts such as voting against the party, corruption in candidate selection and poor knowledge of party rules carry consequences. Che Linidolf Ndongnyam, former North West Regional Assembly member, tackled financial mobilisation, walking delegates through the party's recognised funding sources and practical fundraising techniques, with a core message of transparency and collective responsibility. Dr. Chi Asafor  closed the presentations with focus on electoral mobilisation, urging every branch, sub-section and cell to treat the period ahead as an active campaign season rather than a waiting room.

That call found a direct echo in the intervention of Tandong Iris Zoum, President of the Youth Wing of the CPDM Mezam II Santa Section. Speaking with conviction, he affirmed that young militants in Santa are ready to shoulder greater responsibility and called on party leadership to open concrete space for youth at every level of decision-making, from branch committees to candidate lists. Her intervention was both an affirmation of commitment and a firm demand for inclusion.

WCDPM Section President Fongwa Judith encouraged women to stay active in their communities and prioritise voter registration, reminding delegates that electoral participation is a tool of influence, not just a civic obligation.

The day's most politically symbolic moment came with the formal reception of over  70 new militants from opposition parties, 70 from the  Social  Democratic Front (SDF ) and National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP).The Santa gathering fits into a broader pattern of CPDM grassroots mobilisation visible across the North West Region, where the ruling party has been remobilising  its militants ahead of the electoral competition.

The conference closed on a festive note with traditional dance groups filling the room with colour and rhythm, a fitting end to a day that had been as much about belonging as it was about politics. In Cameroon, a party conference is never just a meeting. It is a public declaration of existence, of relevance and of intent.