Cameroon: When political exile becomes a geopolitical tool against African sovereignty
The delayed revelation of the discreet arrival of Issa Tchiroma Bakary in Gambia, disclosed more than two weeks after the fact, has sparked a  extending far beyond Gambia’s borders. This affair touches on core contemporary African dynamics: state sovereignty, the political management of exile, and the influence strategies at play across the continent.
The Gambian UDP party’s vigorous reaction reflects a profound concern about how political issues are being managed in Gambia.
When a state handles sensitive matters opaquely, it risks eroding public trust in its institutional system.
Furthermore, this episode highlights a central challenge for Cameroon: the instrumentalization of political figures for geopolitical ends.
The prolonged yet secretive presence of the former Camerounian minister and opponent, Issa Tchiroma, on Gambian soil demands a clear-eyed analysis.
When a political actor who claims victory in his home country finds refuge elsewhere, the issue transcends the humanitarian; it becomes inherently strategic. In Africa, exile is never neutral.
It can become a lever for external pressure or a tool for internal political realignment.
This is what the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Mangue, denounced on October 20th, warning that under the guise of humanitarian aid or international recognition, certain imperialist powers encourage African political fragmentation by covertly supporting actors who can destabilize their own nations.
This perspective is crucial. Cameroon, like other African states, must protect its sovereign trajectory in a landscape where political exile can be instrumentalized to exert pressure.
This does not, however, absolve African governments of the absolute requirement for transparency.
On the contrary, the clearer a state’s communication, the less space it leaves for manipulation, hostile interpretation, and influence operations.
The political crisis emerging from Banjul thus serves as a fundamental lesson for the region: sovereignty is defended not only through institutional strength but also through rigorous management of sensitive affairs.
In this context, Cameroon must continue to assert the primacy of its internal governance and reject any attempt to co-opt its domestic debates by external agendas.
Far from being a mere diplomatic incident, the Tchiroma file reveals the fault lines running through Africa today.
It underscores the urgency of a political re-foundation based on transparency, public accountability, and the active defense of national sovereignties.
It is on this path that a stable, respected, and sovereign Cameroon will be built.
Gilbert FOTSO
