Cameroon’s long-time leader, Paul Biya, has been declared the winner of the country’s heavily disputed presidential election, securing an eighth consecutive term in office. The Constitutional Council announced on Monday that Biya, 92, received 53.7 percent of the vote in the October 12 polls, while his main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former government minister and Biya’s ex-spokesperson, garnered 35.2 percent.
The result, however, has sparked widespread tension across the Central African nation, as Tchiroma swiftly rejected the announcement, calling the election a “masquerade” and claiming that he had in fact won with 54.8 percent of the votes. He accused the authorities of manipulating the results and urged Cameroonians to protest against what he described as “falsified and distorted results.”
Tchiroma’s supporters began staging demonstrations days before the official announcement, leading to violent confrontations with security forces. At least four people were killed in Douala, the country’s commercial hub, while more than 100 were arrested. Reports also emerged of two deaths during a rally outside Tchiroma’s home in Garoua, though those casualties could not be independently confirmed. In several major cities, including Yaounde, authorities imposed restrictions on public gatherings, closed some roads, and stationed security forces at key intersections to “prevent unrest and ensure electoral security.”
Voter turnout stood at 46.3 percent, reflecting growing public apathy amid claims that the political system remains tightly controlled by Biya’s government. Cabral Libii came in third place with 3.4 percent, followed by Bello Bouba Maigari with 2.5 percent, and Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, the only female candidate, with 1.7 percent. The remaining eight candidates each received less than one percent.
Biya’s re-election extends his more than four-decade grip on power until 2032, at which point he will be nearly 100 years old. Having ruled since 1982, he is now the world’s oldest serving president and the second longest-ruling leader in Africa after Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea.
Known for rarely appearing in public and for his extended stays in Switzerland, Biya has long faced criticism for repressing opposition voices and failing to address Cameroon’s social and economic challenges, including inequality, separatist unrest, and corruption.
While the Constitutional Council insists the election was fair, many observers fear Biya’s continued rule could deepen political instability. As the opposition vows to keep up protests, Cameroonians remain divided over the future of a nation that has known only two leaders since gaining independence in 1960.
