Issa Tchiroma Bakary, former Minister of Communications and presidential candidate for the October 2025 election, was barred from traveling to Senegal last Thursday, reigniting debate around his complex political trajectory.
The incident occurred as he intended to make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Cameroon’s first president, Ahmadou Ahidjo.
Known as the “transitional candidate,” Tchiroma Bakary has long polarized Cameroonian public opinion with his shifting allegiances and outspoken positions.
Born around 1946, he completed his early education in Garoua before advancing to technical studies in Douala. He later earned a Scientific Baccalaureate in Paris and graduated as an engineer from prestigious French institutions specialising in railways and construction.
Returning to Cameroon, he began his career at REGIERCAM workshops in Douala, progressing from electronics group leader to head of general maintenance.
However, his career was abruptly interrupted in 1984 when he was arrested and imprisoned for six years, accused of involvement in a failed coup attempt against President Paul Biya.
Upon his release in 1990, during the dawn of multi-party politics in Cameroon, Tchiroma Bakary joined the opposition National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), becoming national secretary in charge of administration.
Yet in 1992, in a move that stunned many, he accepted the position of Minister of Transport under Biya’s government—a decision that led to his expulsion from UNDP alongside his ally Hamadou Moustapha.
In 2002, Tchiroma Bakary co-founded the National Salvation Democratic Front (ANDP), and in 2007, he established the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC), the party he currently leads. From 2009 to 2019, he served as Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, becoming a staunch defender of the regime.
His memorable declarations, such as “when I speak on behalf of the government, I state the facts,” and his defence of President Biya’s right to vacation, have left a lasting imprint on the national discourse.
After a stint as Minister of Employment and Vocational Training until June 2025, Tchiroma Bakary resigned to launch his presidential campaign, formally breaking ties with the ruling RDPC party. His barred trip to Senegal now underscores the fraught political climate as Cameroon approaches a critical election.
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