Rose Abunaw

Rose Abunaw Makia, born in Manyu Division of Cameroon, is a pioneering Anglophone politician who became the first woman from the English-speaking regions to serve as Vice President of the National Assembly in 2007.

Rose Abunaw was born in Manyu Division, South West Region of Cameroon, a constituency that has produced several influential Anglophone leaders. Her upbringing in Manyu exposed her to grassroots realities, which later shaped her political advocacy for women and rural communities.^[1]

She began her career in the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP). In 1992, she was elected as a Member of Parliament alongside 23 other women, marking a breakthrough for female representation in Cameroon's legislature.^[2] In March 2000, she resigned from the UNDP and joined the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), under which she was re-elected as MP. In 2007, she made history as the first Anglophone woman Vice President of the National Assembly of Cameroon, a position she held with distinction.^[3][4] She was succeeded by Emilia Monjowa Lifaka.

She served as regional representative of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for Africa,^[5] and Technical Adviser in international initiatives, including the World Peace Games, reflecting her influence beyond Cameroon. Abunaw holds advanced degrees in Educational Planning and History and a certificate from the United Nations International Training and Education Center. She has been recognized as a Knight of the National Order of Valor for her service.^[6]

In early 2025, Hon. Rose Abunaw continued her advocacy for women's leadership in Cameroon and reportedly shifted her support between women's associations in Manyu.^[2][4]