Wilfred N. Mbah, a Cameroonian-born politician who arrived in the United States as an immigrant 16 years ago, has won election to the Massachusetts State Legislature, becoming the first African immigrant elected to the state body, according to Africa Startup Magazine.

Mbah won the seat of State Representative for the 34th Middlesex District, which covers parts of Somerville and Medford. He ran unopposed in the general election on 3 November after winning the Democratic primary on 1 September.

In the primary, Mbah won 2,346 votes in Somerville, or 65 per cent of the total cast there, ahead of Christopher Oates on 709 votes and Paul Ruseau on 583, according to unofficial results reported by the Cambridge Independent. The seat had been held by Christine Barber since 2015.

A long road from Cameroon to the State House

Mbah grew up in Cameroon, where he was orphaned as a child, before moving to the United States. He went on to earn an advanced degree in environmental science and built a career in local politics in Somerville, where he served four terms as an at-large city councillor after first winning election in 2017.

During his time on the council he worked on housing stability, including helping to create the Somerville Office of Housing Stability, and campaigned on affordability, public safety, climate justice, schools and workers' rights. His campaign for the State House drew endorsements from community leaders in Medford and Somerville, including State Senator Jamie Eldridge.

"I am proud to endorse Will Mbah for State Representative for the 34th Middlesex District," Eldridge said during the campaign, praising Mbah's record on the council.

Resignation from the city council

Having won the primary, Mbah announced in September that he would resign as an at-large city councillor with effect from 31 December 2026, so he could focus on his new role.

"Having won the Democratic primary election to serve as State Representative for the 34th Middlesex District, I hereby irrevocably resign my position as an At-Large City Councilor, effective December 31, 2026," he wrote in his resignation letter to the council.

"I look forward to continuing to work with the City and our community in my new role as State Representative," he added.

Under the city charter, Marianne Walles, the fifth-highest vote-getter in the most recent at-large council election, will take over the vacant seat. Mbah said he had known Walles for many years and had great respect for her commitment to Somerville.

What the win means

Mbah's election adds a new voice to the Massachusetts House of Representatives from a district that spans two cities, and it marks a milestone for African immigrants in American state politics. His backers say his own experience of moving home five times in six years because of rising housing costs shaped his focus on affordable housing and protections for working families.

He takes up the seat as the new legislative session approaches, with housing, transport and the cost of living among the issues his constituents raised most often during the campaign.