Silence is Complicity: International Footballer Denounces Rising Femicide in Cameroon
Paul Njie; Yaoundé
Published: 27 August 2026, 12:46 BST • Updated 30 minutes ago
Eight women were brutally murdered in Cameroon over a week, igniting a national outcry that calls for urgent protective action. The killings, part of a troubling pattern of domestic femicide, have pushed the death toll in the first half of the year to 50, compared with 77 last year.
Prominent Cameroonian footballer Nchout Njoya Ajara has openly criticized the government’s response, arguing that "silence is complicity" in the ongoing wave of violence. Ajara, who has played professionally across Europe and the Middle East, points out that women in Cameroon should never be exposed to such danger.
In a recent incident, a 44‑year‑old woman was stabbed to death in her hotel room in Yaoundé by a 22‑year‑old who has since been arrested. Police statements indicate that the majority of femicides stem from domestic abuse, prompting widespread condemnation from civil society groups.
The government has acknowledged the disturbing trend, with the Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Family, Marie‑Thérèse Abena Ondoa, referencing a proposed bill to safeguard women from gender‑based violence. However, activists express concern that the bill’s review by the prime minister will stall the necessary legislation.
Viviane Tathi, head of an advocacy organisation that documents femicide cases, warned that the nation’s forthcoming parliamentary session may focus mainly on budgeting, potentially sidelining the bill. She calls for a special court to address family disputes that often precipitate violence.
As the case count rises, international and local voices alike urge the Cameroonian government to act decisively, ensuring that women’s voices are not silenced and that systems of protection are enacted immediately.
