Cameroon’s long-serving leader, Paul Biya, has secured a controversial eighth term in office, extending his more than four decades in power. The 92-year-old, often described as the world’s oldest head of state, was declared winner of the presidential election by the Constitutional Council, which announced he garnered 53.7 percent of the vote.
Former government minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who finished second with 35.2 percent, swiftly rejected the outcome, describing the exercise as “a masquerade.” He insisted that his camp had, in fact, won the election outright. Two days after the October 12 poll, Tchiroma had already declared himself the winner and urged citizens to take to the streets in protest.
Tension has since gripped parts of the country. In Garoua, the northern city where Tchiroma resides, a rally outside his home reportedly turned violent. He claimed that two protesters were killed and alleged that snipers had been deployed on rooftops. An eyewitness account confirmed that a man was shot, though it remains unclear whether he survived.
In Douala, Cameroon’s economic hub, four people were reported dead on Sunday following clashes between opposition supporters and security forces. Protesters said the police initially fired tear gas before resorting to live bullets to disperse the crowd.
Official figures show voter turnout stood at 46.3 percent. Other candidates trailed far behind, with Cabral Libii taking 3.4 percent of the vote, Bello Bouba Maigari 2.5 percent, and Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya—the only female contender—1.7 percent. The remaining eight candidates each secured less than one percent.
Public gatherings have been banned and traffic movement restricted across major cities since election day. Yet, demonstrations by Tchiroma’s supporters have persisted. Relying on what he described as his independent tally, Tchiroma claimed to have won 54.8 percent of the votes compared to Biya’s 31.3 percent. He reiterated his stance last Wednesday, urging Cameroonians to reject what he called “falsified results” if the Constitutional Council upheld Biya’s victory.
By early Monday morning, security forces had been deployed across Yaoundé to guard strategic locations and maintain order. Many shops and petrol stations remained closed, and the usually busy streets of the capital were quiet as residents braced for possible unrest.
Observers say Biya’s re-election was largely expected, given the country’s long-standing political structure, which critics describe as deeply flawed and dominated by the ruling elite. Biya has been in power since 1982, making him only the second person to lead Cameroon since its independence from France in 1960. His rule has been marked by accusations of authoritarianism, suppression of dissent, and resistance to political reform, even as the country struggles with economic hardship and separatist violence.
Tchiroma, who based his campaign on national renewal, had promised a three-to-five-year transitional government aimed at rebuilding what he called a fractured nation. He accused Biya’s administration of plunging Cameroon into decay through corruption, inequality, and repression.
As calm remains fragile and the opposition vows to challenge the results, Cameroonians wait anxiously to see whether Biya’s extended rule will bring stability—or deepen the divisions threatening the country’s future.
