GEORGETOWN – Guyana’s opposition landscape has been thrown into further disarray with the high-profile resignation of opposition Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and her launch of a new political party just months before general elections. Walton-Desir, who served as the opposition’s Shadow Foreign Minister, announced on June 18, 2025 that she was leaving the PNCR – the largest party in the APNU+AFC opposition coalition – to form an independent movement called “Forward Guyana.” The development sent shockwaves through political circles, as it marks one of the most significant opposition splits in recent years and comes at a time when unity would be crucial for challenging the incumbent PPP/C government.

At a press conference in Georgetown, Walton-Desir cited disenchantment with the PNCR’s direction and internal dynamics as reasons for her departure. “The traditional politics is not working for our people,” she said, pointedly criticizing a lack of inclusivity in decision-making. Insiders suggest she had butted heads with PNCR leader Aubrey Norton over campaign strategy and candidate selection for the upcoming elections. The PNCR has been hemorrhaging senior members: Walton-Desir’s exit follows the recent resignations of a former party chairman and at least two regional party organizers. This exodus has left the opposition ranks thin on experienced figures.

Norton, the Opposition Leader, attempted to downplay the impact. In a statement, the PNCR claimed Walton-Desir had been assured a role in the party’s campaign and a guaranteed Parliament seat if the opposition wins, implying that her grievances were unfounded. The statement went so far as to accuse her of misrepresenting facts in her resignation letter. Despite the harsh words, it thanked her for past service and wished her well – a sign perhaps of concern not to alienate her supporters.

The creation of Forward Guyana introduces a new variable into the election equation. Walton-Desir, an articulate lawyer in her 40s, has a profile that appeals to urban middle-class voters and some younger professionals. Her new party’s platform emphasizes anti-corruption, youth empowerment, and bridging Guyana’s ethnic divide – themes also championed by the ruling PPP/C, interestingly. It remains unclear how many votes or which demographics Forward Guyana might peel away. Some analysts believe Walton-Desir could attract disaffected APNU+AFC supporters who have lost confidence in Norton’s leadership, as well as a slice of independent voters yearning for alternatives.

However, the first-past-the-post nature of Guyana’s electoral system (for Parliament, parties’ share of seats is proportional to votes) means even a small swing could alter seat counts. “If Forward Guyana draws even 3–5% of the vote, predominantly from APNU’s base, it could cost the opposition a couple of seats,” one elections expert observed. The risk for the opposition is a vote-splitting scenario that bolsters the PPP/C’s majority.

This opposition fragmentation comes atop existing cracks. The Alliance For Change (AFC), the junior partner in the coalition, has already decided to contest separately rather than under the joint APNU+AFC list. Relations between the PNCR and AFC soured after the 2020 loss, and attempts to negotiate a fresh accord failed. AFC officials have publicly complained of being sidelined by PNCR; Norton’s camp retorted that the AFC has little electoral clout left. Regardless, the once-unified front is now anything but – voters will likely see at least three separate opposition parties on the ballot (PNCR-led APNU, AFC, and Forward Guyana), each vying against the dominant PPP/C. This splintering notably reverses the trend that brought the opposition to power in 2015, when broad unity was its strength. “The opposition’s house is divided at the worst possible time,” veteran journalist Denis Chabrol commented in a recent column.

The PPP/C, for its part, has thus far stayed mum on Walton-Desir’s move, at least officially. Unofficially, PPP/C figures cannot help but view the turmoil as advantageous. PPP/C General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has previously noted that the PPP/C has never lost an election when the opposition is divided – a historical truth given Guyana’s ethnopolitical arithmetic. At a community meeting last week, President Irfaan Ali refrained from direct commentary but told supporters, “We must remain focused and united; let others fight among themselves.” The ruling party continues to welcome individual defections from the opposition; in fact, since late 2022, a handful of mid-level PNCR and AFC members from various regions have publicly endorsed the PPP/C, saying they prefer its development agenda.

Walton-Desir, however, is charting her own course rather than joining the PPP/C. She insists her new party will be issue-driven and not merely an anti-PPP pressure group. With potentially less than three months to go before elections (widely expected by September 2025), the opposition faces a daunting task to present a cohesive alternative. Norton has tried to project confidence, asserting that “the core support remains intact.” Yet behind closed doors, APNU strategists are reportedly recalculating scenarios in light of Forward Guyana’s entry.

Some in the opposition camp hold out hope for a last-minute reconciliation – perhaps an electoral pact where the new party would endorse the main opposition list in exchange for policy concessions or post-election cooperation. Walton-Desir thus far has given no indication of such a deal, and time is short. For now, PPP/C campaigners have the luxury of watching their opponents’ turbulence from the sidelines. The true impact of the opposition split will only be known on election night, but one thing is certain: the road to unseating the PPP/C just got steeper for Guyana’s fractured opposition.