Issa Tchiroma: Charles Mambo’s “Change Candidate” for Cameroon

Integrity Through Adaptation

For Mambo, the measure of integrity is not immovability but flexibility when conscience demands it. “Only tyrants cling rigidly to their old convictions while the world around them changes,” he observes, citing Mandela, Lincoln, and Churchill as examples of leaders who grew in stature by revising their positions when reality shifted.

Tchiroma’s Record

Tchiroma, once mocked for his shifting stances, has demonstrated what Mambo calls “honesty in evolution.” He has reconciled political differences within his own family, reached out to fellow opposition leaders to form a coalition bloc, and outlined reform proposals — from federalism to decentralisation, to an education overhaul that values technical training alongside grammar schools.

Most significantly, he has promised to release political prisoners — a bold step Mambo believes could help resolve both the Anglophone Crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North.

Critics and Counterpoints

Opponents dismiss Tchiroma’s flexibility as opportunism. Mambo counters that rigidity in the face of change is not principle but paralysis. “What have they offered instead?” he asks. “Endless talk of principles that harden into irrelevance while Biya and his ageing courtiers keep the nation paralysed.”

The Alternative to Stagnation

For Mambo, the choice is stark. “Change cannot come through Biya. It hasn’t come for 43 years. Change cannot come through Kamto. He is not on the ballot. Tchiroma is the change Cameroon needs. He is the consensus candidate.”

Author’s Note

Charles Mambo is a successful Cameroonian business tycoon based in London and a columnist for The Guardian newspaper in Cameroon. He writes frequently on Cameroon’s political dynamics and is known for his insider knowledge of the country’s fractured landscape.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author, Charles Mambo, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Cameroon Concord News Group.