John Fru Ndi
According to UNESCO, bookseller John Fru Ndi launched the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in Bamenda on 26 May 1990, the first major opposition party, defying a government ban on the rally. Security forces killed six young participants, since remembered as the "26 May martyrs". The event is regarded as the starting point of the multiparty movement in Cameroon. On 11 October 1992, John Fru Ndi stood for the SDF in Cameroon's first multiparty presidential election. The official results declared Paul Biya the winner with about 40 percent of the vote against about 36 percent for John Fru Ndi. The vote remains disputed: the SDF, international observers and several analysts have since concluded that he likely won the largest share of the vote.
Related events
| Date | Event | Era | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch of the Social Democratic Front in Bamenda | The Renouveau era (since 1982) | Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa | |
| 1992 disputed presidential election · Contested | The Renouveau era (since 1982) | Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa |