BBC Photo: Paul Biya, 92, posts his ballot as his wife Chantal, 54, watches on
Source: BBC
DST News: Cameroon’s long-serving president Paul Biya, aged 92, has secured a controversial eighth term in office, extending his more than four-decade rule after a violence-marred election that opposition leaders denounced as fraudulent.
The country’s Constitutional Council declared Biya the winner with 53.7% of the vote, defeating his main challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who garnered 35.2%. But Bakary, a former ally turned critic, rejected the outcome, insisting he was the true victor.
The October 12 poll has been overshadowed by deadly unrest and allegations of widespread irregularities. In recent days, hundreds of Bakary’s supporters defied protest bans in major cities, clashing with security forces. At least four people were killed in Douala, the economic capital, on Sunday, while more deaths were reported near Bakary’s home in Garoua on Monday.
Local journalists said security forces opened fire after gatherings formed outside the opposition leader’s residence. Bakary accused authorities of deploying snipers to target civilians, claiming “they are firing at point-blank range at the people.” Officials have not commented on the allegations.
Despite the chaos, Biya thanked voters for their renewed confidence. “I sincerely hope that together we will continue to build a peaceful, united and prosperous Cameroon,” he said in a statement. “We are at the beginning of another nightmare,” said resident Amungwa Nicodemus. “The economy is declining, corruption is endemic, and everything is going wrong.” Others, like Abolo Denis, urged calm: “Peace must come first, even if we disagree with the result.”
Ten candidates contested the presidency, including former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari, with voter turnout reaching 58%. All 10 petitions alleging electoral malpractice were dismissed by the Constitutional Council.
The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) hailed Biya’s victory as a “sign of greatness and hope.” But critics see it as the latest chapter in an entrenched regime accused of corruption, repression, and mismanagement.
Biya, who first took office in 1982, is the world’s oldest head of state. Rarely seen in public and often residing abroad — particularly in luxury Swiss hotels — he has long faced questions about his fitness to govern.
While his supporters credit him for expanding education and resolving the Bakassi Peninsula dispute with Nigeria, his rule has been marred by mounting crises:
- A bloody separatist insurgency in Cameroon’s English-speaking west, now nearing a decade,
- Youth unemployment exceeding 40%,
- Collapsing infrastructure, and
- Severe restrictions on free speech and opposition activity.
International observers warn that the disputed election could push Cameroon toward political instability. “Biya now holds a fragile mandate, as many Cameroonians simply do not believe he won,” said Murithi Mutiga, Africa Program Director at the International Crisis Group. “We urge him to begin a genuine national dialogue to prevent further escalation.”
As protests spread and the government tightens control, Cameroonians fear that the veteran leader’s latest victory may not bring unity — but rather deepen the divisions of a nation already on edge.
