Former MRC member exposes ethnocentric governance

In a bold Facebook statement, Salomon Beas dismantled the MRC’s claims of democratic values, arguing that the party operates as a tribal power structure rather than a true democratic movement. His post, titled “Tribal purge or democratic struggle within the MRC”, details what he describes as a systematic elimination of dissenting voices within the party.

“The MRC presented itself as a democratic showcase where citizens could cultivate political culture and build strong democratic foundations. The reality proved far different. Instead, we witnessed a facade masking an ethnocentric project where tribal leaders wielded power like daggers, ready to politically assassinate anyone daring to oppose the hidden agenda of ethnic dominance. What we see in the RDPC, we now recognize in the MRC—but with a dangerous twist of tribal supremacy disguised as political strategy.”

Beas, who once served as an MRC militant, accuses the party’s leadership of fostering a culture of blind loyalty to the party leader rather than promoting political pluralism. He specifically targets the party’s internal dynamics, where tribal caciques allegedly manipulate processes to maintain control.

Echoes of past warnings

The Cameroonian politician also revisits the controversial statements made by the late Paul Eric Kingue, who had publicly labeled the MRC as an ethno-fascist sect using members as mere stepping stones for political maneuvering. Kingue warned that dissenters risked being “vitrified”—politically neutralized—within the party’s ranks.

“History has proven Kingue right. The MRC’s so-called democratic structures are merely a smokescreen for ethnic domination. The party’s operating principle isn’t democratic debate—it’s tribal subjugation disguised as political leadership. We’re in politics, not traditional chiefdoms, yet the MRC functions as if we were.”

The statement marks another chapter in the growing tensions within Cameroon’s political landscape, where accusations of tribalism and authoritarian tendencies frequently surface in opposition circles.