Cameroon’s long-serving President, Paul Biya, 92, has been declared winner of the October 12 presidential election, securing a controversial eighth term in office with 53.7 percent of the vote, according to official results released by the Constitutional Council on Monday.
His main challenger, former government minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, finished second with 35.2 percent. Tchiroma had earlier declared himself the rightful winner, claiming he secured 54.8 percent of the vote compared to Biya’s 31.3 percent, and urged his supporters to protest what he described as “a stolen mandate.”
Tensions have escalated since the announcement, with at least four people killed on Sunday during violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Douala, the country’s economic hub. The regional governor confirmed the deaths, while witnesses told AFP that security forces initially used tear gas before firing live rounds to disperse demonstrators.
Supporters of Tchiroma have continued to occupy major streets in several cities, defying government warnings and demanding that Biya step down. The unrest underscores deep frustration among Cameroonians who have spent over four decades under Biya’s rule.
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Analysts say the outcome was largely expected in a system where opposition parties operate under heavy restrictions and electoral institutions remain firmly under government control. Critics describe Biya’s continued hold on power as the product of a “managed democracy,” accusing the regime of manipulating the electoral process to maintain dominance.
Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, is the second person to lead the country since independence from France in 1960. His administration has been marked by allegations of corruption, economic inequality, and the violent suppression of dissent, including a protracted separatist conflict in the country’s Anglophone regions.
Despite growing domestic and international criticism, Biya’s re-election extends one of Africa’s longest political reigns, leaving many questioning the future of democracy and political transition in Cameroon.
