Mulembe Times | October 27, 2025
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, Africa’s oldest serving head of state, has been re-elected for an eighth consecutive term at the age of 92 — extending his more than four-decade rule in a vote widely condemned by the opposition and international observers.
According to official results announced Monday by the Constitutional Council, Biya secured 53.7 percent of the vote in the October 12 presidential election.
His main rival, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former government minister, came second with 35.2 percent.
Opposition cries foul
Bakary, who had declared victory two days after the polls, has rejected the official tally, alleging widespread fraud and irregularities.
His camp claims he actually won 54.8 percent of the vote against Biya’s 31.3 percent, citing what they describe as “systemic manipulation” of the results.
“The people have spoken, and their will has been stolen,” Bakary said in a statement, urging supporters to “defend democracy peacefully.”
Protests broke out over the weekend in the economic capital Douala, where four people were killed during clashes between opposition demonstrators and security forces.
According to the regional governor, the violence erupted on Sunday after police tried to disperse protesters demanding the annulment of the results.
Witnesses told AFP that security forces initially used tear gas before opening fire with live ammunition, escalating tensions in the coastal city.
Authorities have since banned public gatherings in several urban areas, citing threats to public order.
Tight grip on power
Biya’s re-election — his eighth consecutive term since first taking office in 1982 — cements his reputation as one of Africa’s longest-ruling and most enduring leaders.
He is one of only two presidents to have governed Cameroon since its independence from France in 1960.
Critics accuse Biya of maintaining power through a combination of political repression, electoral manipulation, and patronage networks.
Under his rule, Cameroon has witnessed frequent crackdowns on dissent, tight control of the media, and violent suppression of opposition parties.
“Cameroon’s elections are no longer contests of ideas but rituals to extend the president’s rule,” said political analyst Albert Ndongo. “Institutions like the Constitutional Council are firmly under executive control.”
A nation under strain
Biya’s latest victory comes at a time of deep social, political, and economic unrest.
The Central African nation remains divided by an armed separatist conflict in its English-speaking regions, where militants have been fighting since 2017 for independence from the French-speaking majority.
The conflict has displaced over half a million people and claimed thousands of lives.
In addition, Cameroon’s economy continues to struggle with high youth unemployment, inflation, and widespread corruption, even as Biya’s government touts infrastructure projects and foreign investments as signs of progress.
Despite his advanced age, Biya has shown no sign of stepping down or naming a successor, often governing remotely from abroad — particularly from long stays in Switzerland, where he is known to spend months at a time.
“At 92, President Biya’s ability to lead effectively is increasingly questioned,” said a diplomat based in Yaoundé. “But his inner circle remains determined to preserve the status quo.”
Muted international reaction
Western governments and the African Union have so far issued cautious statements, urging calm and restraint.
However, human rights groups have called for an independent review of the election results and accountability for the killings in Douala.
As the dust settles, Cameroonians find themselves once again at a familiar crossroads — between hope for democratic change and the enduring power of a president who has ruled for more than half a century.
