Cameroon’s long-serving leader, Paul Biya, has been declared the winner of the country’s October 12 presidential election, extending his rule into a fifth decade amid growing unrest and opposition anger.
The Constitutional Council announced on Monday that Biya, 92, secured 53.66% of the vote, defeating his main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who garnered 35.19%.
The outcome cements Biya’s place as the world’s oldest serving president and one of Africa’s most enduring leaders, having been in power since 1982.
This year’s vote marked Biya’s eighth consecutive victory but also his narrowest margin in decades, reflecting a surge in anti-incumbent sentiment and public frustration with the country’s deepening economic and political challenges.
News of Biya’s victory has triggered widespread demonstrations and violent clashes in several cities.
According to reports, at least four protesters were killed in Douala on Sunday during confrontations with security forces.
Regional officials also confirmed the arrest of more than 100 people while protesters in Yaoundé, Garoua, and Maroua blocked major roads, prompting security forces to fire tear gas to disperse crowds.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos in Douala as demonstrators, many waving Cameroonian flags and chanting for change, were met with heavily armed police units.
Human rights groups have condemned the use of force, warning that the government’s crackdown risks escalating tensions in an already volatile political environment.
Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Biya’s main opponent and former ally, has rejected the election results, alleging “massive fraud and intimidation.” He has called on his supporters to “defend their votes” and announced plans for further protests across the country.
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“This regime has turned Cameroon into a predatory oligarchy,” Bakary said, insisting that he, not Biya, won the vote.
His campaign claims irregularities in several northern constituencies, where turnout figures reportedly exceeded 100 percent in some polling stations.
Human rights lawyer Nkongho Felix Agbor-Balla also dismissed the results as illegitimate, stating that the outcome “represents a protest vote rather than a mandate.”
Cameroon’s election has exposed a stark generational divide. With a median age of just 18.9 years, most citizens were born long after Biya came to power.
Over 70% of the population is under 35, many of whom face limited economic opportunities and high unemployment.
Even within Biya’s family, dissent has emerged—his daughter, Brenda Biya, urged her TikTok followers not to vote for her father, reflecting growing frustration among younger Cameroonians.
Biya is expected to be sworn in within the next two weeks before Parliament and the Supreme Court.
However, mounting protests, allegations of electoral malpractice, and questions over Biya’s health have cast uncertainty over Cameroon’s political future.
Crediblenewsng.com
