Kamerun National Democratic Party
Encyclopedia
Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP) was a pro-independence political party
active in Southern Cameroons
during the period of British
Mandate
rule.
. The party initially sought a close relationship with the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon
of Cameroun
and in the early days contained a number of UPC members who had fled persecution in the French
zone. However whilst Foncha supported autonomy
for the South this was rejected by the UPC who wanted full reunification. The KNDP ended their relationship with the UPC in 1957 and the Francophone party were banned in the British territory. The party also split from the Kamerun National Congress (of which Foncha had previously been a member) and the two parties became bitter rivals over the KNC's support for incorporation into Nigeria
. The KNDP's stance proved the most popular and they won the legislative elections in 1959, forcing the KNU into opposition. As the governning party they supported a united independent Cameroon but one organised along federal
lines and this was endorsed by plebiscite in 1961. As a result E. M. L. Endeley
's Cameroons Peoples' National Convention (CPNC), which supported the Nigeria, emerged as the main source of opposition to KNDP hegemony, with attempts by the KNDP to absorb the party floundering due to personality clashes.
and the UC enjoyed full control in the East, the KNDP initially did not enjoy the same levels of endorsement, their 78% of the vote in 1964 parliamentary elections
some way behind the 98% won by the UC.
Foncha was forced to relinquish his position as Prime Minister of West Cameroon in 1965 when he was elected Vice-President to Ahidjo on a joint ticket as the Constitution of Cameroon
stated that both offices could not be held simultaneously. As a consequence Augustine Ngom Jua was chosen as the new Prime Minister, although not before a round of bitter in-fighting which saw Solomon Tandeng Muna, who had been an important figure in the foundation of the KNDP, split away to form his own Cameroon United Congress (CUC). Initially this put the KNDP in a weaker position, particularly with regards to the UC which was the only effective party in the East. However before long KNDP dominance became as complete when both the CPNC and the CUC were absorbed by the KNDP. Finally the two dominant parties merged into one, the Cameroon National Union
, in 1966 and almost immediately this group became the sole party in a unitary state.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
active in Southern Cameroons
Southern Cameroons
Southern Cameroons was the southern part of the British Mandate territory of Cameroons in West Africa. Since 1961 it is part of the Republic of Cameroon, where it makes up the Northwest Province and Southwest Province...
during the period of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Mandate
League of Nations mandate
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League...
rule.
Pre-independence
The KNDP was formed in 1955 by John Ngu FonchaJohn Ngu Foncha
John Ngu Foncha was a Cameroonian politician.He founded the Kamerun National Democratic Party in 1955 and became Premier of the British Cameroons on 1 February 1959...
. The party initially sought a close relationship with the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon
Union of the Peoples of Cameroon
The Union of the Peoples of Cameroon is a political party in Cameroon.-History:UPC was founded on April 10, 1948, at a meeting in the bar Chez Sierra in Bassa. 12 men assisted the founding meeting, including Charles Assalé, Léonard Bouli, and Guillaume Bagal. The majority of the participants were...
of Cameroun
Cameroun
Cameroun was a French and British mandate territory in central Africa, now constituting the majority of the territory of the Republic of Cameroon....
and in the early days contained a number of UPC members who had fled persecution in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
zone. However whilst Foncha supported autonomy
Autonomous area
An autonomous area or autonomous entity is an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or freedom from an external authority. Typically it is either geographically distinct from the rest of the country or populated by a national minority. Countries that include autonomous areas are often...
for the South this was rejected by the UPC who wanted full reunification. The KNDP ended their relationship with the UPC in 1957 and the Francophone party were banned in the British territory. The party also split from the Kamerun National Congress (of which Foncha had previously been a member) and the two parties became bitter rivals over the KNC's support for incorporation into Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. The KNDP's stance proved the most popular and they won the legislative elections in 1959, forcing the KNU into opposition. As the governning party they supported a united independent Cameroon but one organised along federal
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
lines and this was endorsed by plebiscite in 1961. As a result E. M. L. Endeley
E. M. L. Endeley
Emmanuel Mbela Lifafa Endeley was a Cameroonian politician who led Southern Cameroonian representatives out of the Eastern Nigerian House of Assembly in Enugu and negotiated the creation of the autonomous region of Southern Cameroons in 1954....
's Cameroons Peoples' National Convention (CPNC), which supported the Nigeria, emerged as the main source of opposition to KNDP hegemony, with attempts by the KNDP to absorb the party floundering due to personality clashes.
Post-independence and merger
Following independence democracy largely receded in Cameroon as the KNDP in what became known as West Cameroon and the Cameroon Union (UC) in East Cameroon established their respective hegemonies. However whilst Ahmadou AhidjoAhmadou Ahidjo
Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo was the first President of Cameroon from 1960 until 1982.-Early life:Ahidjo was born in Garoua, a major river port along the Benue River in northern Cameroun, which was at the time a French mandate territory...
and the UC enjoyed full control in the East, the KNDP initially did not enjoy the same levels of endorsement, their 78% of the vote in 1964 parliamentary elections
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 1964
Parliamentary elections were held in Cameroon in 1964. They were the first elections held after Southern Cameroons became part of the country in 1961. The result was a victory for the Cameroonian Union in East Cameroon and the Kamerun National Democratic Party in West Cameroon. However, the...
some way behind the 98% won by the UC.
Foncha was forced to relinquish his position as Prime Minister of West Cameroon in 1965 when he was elected Vice-President to Ahidjo on a joint ticket as the Constitution of Cameroon
Constitution of Cameroon
The Constitution of Cameroon is the supreme law of the Republic of Cameroon. The document consists of a preamble and 13 Parts, each divided into Articles...
stated that both offices could not be held simultaneously. As a consequence Augustine Ngom Jua was chosen as the new Prime Minister, although not before a round of bitter in-fighting which saw Solomon Tandeng Muna, who had been an important figure in the foundation of the KNDP, split away to form his own Cameroon United Congress (CUC). Initially this put the KNDP in a weaker position, particularly with regards to the UC which was the only effective party in the East. However before long KNDP dominance became as complete when both the CPNC and the CUC were absorbed by the KNDP. Finally the two dominant parties merged into one, the Cameroon National Union
Cameroon National Union
The Cameroon National Union was Cameroon's sole legal political party until 1990...
, in 1966 and almost immediately this group became the sole party in a unitary state.