FECAFOOT Electoral Tension: Mfoundi Prefect Withdraws Legal Status from ALIFOOT, ADAFEN, and CAFOOT Associations

By Neilley Claude EBESSA

Journalist, kick442.com – Cameroon

Public Order and Denunciation: The Reasons Cited by Emmanuel Mariel Djikdent Nine Days Before the Vote

The pre-electoral period at the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) has descended into a major administrative crisis. The Prefect of the Mfoundi Department, Emmanuel Mariel Djikdent, signed an order on November 19, withdrawing the declaration receipts (legal recognition) from three football associations: L’Association des Anciens Lions Indomptables (ALIFOOT), L’Association Dynamique des Anciens Footballeurs de l’Équipe Nationale (ADAFEN), and Le Collectif des Acteurs du Football (CAFOOT).

This administrative decision, spectacular in its timing and scope, is officially motivated by “requests for denunciation and the necessity of preserving public order” within a particularly tense electoral context.

The Three Cases: A Flurry of Legal Grounds

The receipts for these three structures were withdrawn from the Register of Associations of the Yaoundé Prefecture for specific and varied reasons, demonstrating the extent of the alleged irregularities:

* For ALIFOOT, whose receipt was issued on September 25, 2025, the Prefect cited “internal dissensions” as well as a “superposition” with an already existing and recognized association, the “Collectif des Anciens Lions Indomptables de Football” (whose receipt dates back to 2012).

* For ADAFEN, authorized since December 16, 2012, the revocation is justified by its “trade union activities.”

* CAFOOT, which received its receipt on November 14, 2025, is the association facing the largest number of complaints: “introduction of a power of attorney refuted by the presumed author in the association declaration file,” “trade union activities,” “diversion of purpose,” and “irregular interference in the activities of the Cameroonian Football Federation” (the latter being supported by a letter dated November 19, 2025, addressed to the Sub-Prefect of Mbankomo).

The Sword of Damocles of Public Order and the Electoral Context

The most significant justification lies in the mention of the “necessity of preserving public order.”

The withdrawal of these receipts occurs at a crucial time: the FECAFOOT presidential election, scheduled for November 29, is the subject of heated debate, particularly within the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education.

This decision is directly linked to the actions of CAFOOT, whose members had publicly promised a “raid” on the voting location, in the Mbankomo locality (Centre Region). Furthermore, before its receipt was withdrawn, CAFOOT had requested the Sub-Prefect of Mbankomo to prohibit the FECAFOOT General Assembly scheduled for that day.

By withdrawing the legal recognition of these associations, particularly CAFOOT, the Prefectoral administration appears to be seeking to de-escalate a threat to public order. However, this measure is perceived by the opposition as an attempt to eliminate dissenting voices and skew the democratic process during the electoral period. The FECAFOOT election will therefore take place under increased security surveillance.